


a not so golden life

by LeoDrayThanatos



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dumbledore Bashing, F/M, Ginny Bashing, Hermione Bashing, M/M, Molly Weasley Bashing, Ron Bashing, Severitus, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2017-12-30 09:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 36,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeoDrayThanatos/pseuds/LeoDrayThanatos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>PENDING REWRITE! In the summer after 5th year, Harry discovers some serious betrayals and has to think about what to do Is he gonna continue with the life he had so far or is he gonna change every thing?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey guys!
> 
> This is my first fanficiton, and also my first story ever written in English.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writting it for youˆˆ
> 
> Please review, so I know, what you think about itˆˆ
> 
> I already postet up to Chapter 13 on ff.net and aff.org, and will post one chapter at a time here on AO3...
> 
> WARNING: SO FAR PROLOGUE AND CHAPTER 1-10 AREN'T BETAED... THEY WILL BE AS SOON AS MY BETA HAS THE TIME TO DO SO...^^
> 
> DISCLAIMER: as sad as it is, I don't own anything related to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling... *sniff*

PROLOGUE

Ever since they returned from the Department of Mysteries, Harry had been unnaturally quiet. Hermione was quite concerned about her best friend. And she was annoyed with her other friend, Ron Weasley. Because that thunderhead didn't even realize that there was something off with Harry. Ron was so dumb, he didn't realize how much even the mention of Sirius' name hurted his best friend.

But what Hermione didn't know, was, that there was something that bothered Harry even more than the death of his godfather. Because after Sirius fell through the veil, he run out after Bellatrix into the Atrium, where Voldemort possessed his body and tried to kill Dumbledore. But it wasn't being possessed by Voldemort that bothered him so much. It was, what Voldemort told him during that possession. He had asked Harry, if he was sure, that Dumbledore was everything he seemed to be. Ever since then, he kept overthinking every single thing Dumbledore ever said and did to him. Because he couldn't get rid of the feeling, that there was some truth in what Voldemort told him. And he knew, that he usually could trust his gut feeling, it hadn't ever been wrong. The only time he didn't listen to his gut, was, when he, together with Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna, went to the Ministry of Magic to save his beloved godfather.

Harry was glad, that there were only a few days of the school year left, because he didn't think he'd be able to concentrate on school or even his OWLs, with being busy overthinking every single thing. He also was glad to be able to go back to his secluded summer holidays in Dudley's second bedroom, since there, he'd have all the time in the world to think it trough without being disturbed by Hermione fussing over him or Ron being absolutely clueless of any of his feelings and annoying him by always asking him to join him to play some chess or exploding snap, or Dumbledore trying to be compassionate about Sirius' death with the annoying, happy looking twinkle in his eyes. He was also glad to no longer being exposed to the gawking student masses and the headlines of the newspapers, where the same reporters, who called him a liar and worse about a year ago, now wrote, that it seems like he did tell the truth about Voldemort being back, without a single apology to him.

xXxXxXx

The end of the year feast had been like every other the years before. And for Harry, it was just a continuation of the previous days.  
The food was delicious, Hermoine kept fussing over him about him not eating enough, Ron was as tactless as ever, Ginny had started to flirt with him once more, which annoyed Harry to no end, since he really wasn't interested in her or any other person at all at the moment, and everyone else was gawking at him, without even hiding it anymore.  
Therefore, Harry was really glad, when he sat with his close friends in their compartement on the train to King's Cross. They had locked the door with severe locking spells that were above NEWTs level and closed the curtains as well, which was a good idea, since Malfoy tried to make his obligatory visit. And no one really felt like seeing him or even listening to his annoying voice.

Once more, Ron tried asking everyone to play some games, Ginny tried to hit on him, and Hermione asked him, if he was sure that everything was ok and if he really was okay with going back to the Dursleys.  
After some time, Harry was fed up with everything and everyone and exploded: "No, Ron, I really don't want to play anything with you, but want to be left alone! That includes you, Hermione. I'm okay and even if it would bother me to go back to the Dursleys, which it doesn't, there wouldn't be anything I could do to change it. And Ginny, I'm definitely not interested in you! So, please, stop hitting on me. It's fucking annoying!"  
They all stared at him open mouthed. No one knew, how to react to it. Especially, as it was the first time since Sirius' death, that Harry showed any real expressions, and spoke more than in the previous days together. And Harry went back to looking out of the window and thinking.

When the Hogwarts Express arrived in London, it was still quite silent in the compartement of Harry and his friends. Hermione was still musing about Harry's behaviour, Ron was fuming that his best friend prefered being completely boring and looking out of the window over playing a game with him, Ginny was thinking about what she could possibly do to get Harry to be interested in her and Neville and Luna were quiet as usual, reading a book about some exotic magical plants and the Quibbler respectively.

When the train stopped, they all took their luggage and got off it, and walked towards their waiting families.

When he reached the Dursleys, he acted as if nothing special at all had happened all year long and especially didn't mention the death of a certain escaped criminal, since the thread of him let the Dursleys leave him to do whatever he felt like, without having to do lots of chores beside cooking.

Plus, he could come and go whenever he pleased, without being locked in in his room.


	2. Chapter 1

˜ notes ˜

' thoughts '

° letter°

CHAPTER 1

When Harry arrived in his room, he put Hedwig's cage on his desk and started unpacking his trunk.  
Later in the afternoon, he went out to buy some groceries, and in the same time, he bough himself some notebooks and pens, because he wanted to write all his thoughts about Dumbledore and what happend in his life since his parents death until Sirius' death, down and didn't want to use expensive parchment for it.

When he came back, he started cooking and while the food was in the oven, he started writing down his thoughts.

˜ Dumbledore left a fifeteen month old baby lying outside on a doorstep in the night from halloween to the first of november. Who leaves a baby outside during night in a basket with nothing than a thin blanket and a letter?! He could have frozen to death. Didn't he think? ˜

˜ Plus, he was left with his aunt and her family, when he'd have had a godfather. Every child knows, that a child, who looses it's parents, is taken care of by its godparents. And Sirius hadn't been arrested until the sixth of november. That's almost a week after he was left at the Dursleys. So, why wasn't he left with his godfather? ˜

˜ Once, when he talked with Hermione how it was for her when she had had her first trip to the wizarding world, she told him, that she received a visit by professor McGonagall, wo gave her her Hogwarts letter and, during a few visits, told her everything she had to know beforehand about the school and about being a witch. And aparently, that's how it is with every muggleborn or child who grew up in the muggle world, be it in an orphanage, a foster family or living with the non magical part of its parents. He, on the other side, got his letter by owl, and got letter after letter, because of his uncle. And in the end, he got a visit from Hagrid, who might be a nice guy and all, but definitely wasn't suited to introduce an unknowing eleven year old to the wizarding world. He also didn't know about being a celebrity until he got overwhelmed with fans in the Leaky Cauldron. Later, he got told by Dumbledore, that he didn't want Harry to grow up with his fame, so he could have a good childhood without lots of false friends and being used by people who wanted him to push their power and influence. As if being treated worse than a houself would be a good childhood, and after that, being thrown into a world where he was The celebrity, would be any better than growing up with the knowledge of his public status. ˜

Since the food was ready, he prepared the table and called his family for dinner. The meal was like every other meal since they got to know about Sirius Black being Harrys godfahter the previous year. Aunt Petunia was eating without saying a word to him or taking a glance in his direction, Uncle Vernon was scowling at him, but also didn't say anything, and Dudley was watching TV and stuffing his face with the food.

After they finished eating, Harry got up to do the dishes and afterwards went upstairs to his room, taking his notebook and pen with him. In his room, there was an unknown owl waiting for him with a letter, that was sealed with wax with a "G" imprinted in it. He was curious about whom the letter was from. He took it from the owl and gave it some owl treats, then he opened the letter.

° Dear Mister Harry James Potter

We are sorry to tell you that it isn't possible, that the estates and the money, as well as evereything in the Black family vaults you interited from your late godfather Sirius Black, who made you his heir, can be given to one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and one Ginevra Molly Weasley, besides him being your surrogate grandfather and her being your betrothed, as you asked us to in your letter from the twentyseventh of june.  
Please come to Gringotts as soon as possible so we can sort everything out. Your legal guardian will be allowed to this meeting, but no one get here without problem, please hold on to this letter and speak the word "inheritance" and it will act as a portkey directed to the bank's vice director Frampook.  
Sincerely

Griphook, Assistant to vice director Frampook °

To say, that Harry was fuming, was an understatement. 'How could he? HOW COULD HE? As if it wasn't enough, that he had to grow up with his aunt's family, who hates magic and that he just lost his godfather, his only hope of ever getting a real family, no, he also had to go and try to get everything he should inherit from his beloved late godfather, the money, the estates, wherever and how much there might be of them, he didn't know, he also wasn't interested in it right now. And why was there Ginny of all people mentioned and called his betrothed...? He really didn't get it. So, everything he could do right now, will be going to Gringotts and find out.' Harry said good bye to his owl, got hold of the letter and spoke the word activating the portkey.

xXxXxXx

When he looked around to see, where he had landed, he saw a room with some comfortable chairs along a wall, a desk on the opposite side of the room and two doors. Behind the desk sat a goblin, whom Harry recognized from his first visit to Gringotts about five years ago, who stood up and came over from behind his desk to greet him.

"Hello, mister Potter. Vice director Frampook is ready to see you. Please, follow me."

Harry followed the goblin through one of the doors into an exquisit furnished office, where he was greeted by another goblin.

"Hello, mister Potter. I'm glad you could make it so soon to meet up."

"My greetings, vice director Frampook. And thank you for the letter, I didn't know about an inheritance at all, neither did I know that Sirius made me his sole heir. All I know from Gringotts, was, that I have my single vault here, where I always get my gold to buy my school stuff and some pocket money for the school year. I also haven't ever before gotten a single letter from your bank, ever."

"That's impossible. We sent you every three months a report about your account movements. And you own more than one single vault. Something went really wrong here. Griphook, could you please get everything about the Potter vaults since the death of the late Mr. and Mrs. Potter and also the letter and everything else concerning the Black vaults since the same date, plus an inheritance potion, just to be sure that nothing else got pampered with?"

The goblin who brought him into the vice director's office, left to get all those required papers and said potion.

Frambook returned to Harry. "I'm sorry, mister Potter. Something seems to be seriousely wrong here. Just one question before we get all requestet documents. Who gave you your key for your trust vault?"

"I got my key when I got here the first time to buy my school supplies from Hagrid. And I guess, Hagrid might have got it from professor Dumbledore, since he told me, that professor Dumbledore send him to deliever my letter and show me to Diagon Alley", Harry answered, still shocked about everything he just got to know.

"In this case, we'll have to look into this as well. And now, would you like to have a seat?" Frambook showed Harry to one of the comfortable looking chairs in front of his desk.

After Harry and Frambook sat down, the door opened and Griphook came back."I've brought you the documents and the potion you asked for, Frambook."

"Thank you, Griphook."


	3. Chapter 2

° inheritance parchment °

CHAPTER 2

Frambook put the documents, which were quite a few, on his desk, and took the vial into his hand.

"I'd say, we start with the potion, in case we'd need some other documents as well. Is that okay with you?"

"Okay. What do I have to do?" Frambook opened a drawer and took a little silver dagger out of it and handed it to Harry.

"You have to cut yourself on your palm with it and add three drops of your blood to the potion. Then we have to wait a minute for the blood to disturb itself in the potion and pour it onto a parchment." He opened another drawer and pulled a rolled up parchment out of it.

"And what exactly shows this potion once it's been poured onto the parchment?", Harry asked the goblin.

"It shows all your titles and vaults, first the inherited by blood from your parents, then those you got if someone who isn't a direct ancestor, but had some relations to you during his live, like your godfather, made you the heir and after those, what you got from other people who you didn't really have any relations with at all. And, if you have one, also the creature and other unusual inheritances."

"Is it really possible, to be made heir of someone I didn't really know at all? How could that be?"

"Yes, it is. Especially in your case, because you are the so called Boy-Who-Lived."

Harry was speechless. He couldn't believe what he just had potion on the desk changed it's colour to a clear liquid who looked like water. Frambook took it and looked at Harry.

"Mister Potter, are you ready for this?"

Harry just nodded.

The goblin took the potion vial and poured it onto the beginning of the parchment. Harry was shocked at how much writing appeared.

° Name: Harry James Potter

Age: 15 years

Vater: James Harold Potter, deceased

Mother: Lily Rose Potter, née Evans-Viperian, deceased

Blood Status: Pure-Blood

Magical core:  
core power: 70 cp (usable), 280 cp (available/75% [210 cp] blocked)  
core power/average wizard: 100-150 cp

Inheritances by blood: 

paternal:  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Gryffindor  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Knight  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Baker

maternal:  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Le Fay  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Ravenclaw  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Viperian

Inheritances by relations: 

$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Cantarel

Gifted inheritances: 

$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Hufflepuff  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Hinkerland  
$ Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Bergamonte  
$ Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of DuChampe  
$ Lord of the Noble House of MacGregor  
$ Comte de Jarjais  
$ Baron von Hohenfels

Numver of Vaults:

Trust Vault: 1 / 60'000 G (refilled to 100'000 G every 1.1.)  
Inherited by blood: 31 / 938'489'292 G, 37'836 S, 847 K  
Inherited by relation: 8 / 320'792'472 G, 84'398 S, 478 K  
Gifted Inheritances: 28 / 847'937'394 G, 87'398 S, 374 KNumber of Estates:  
Inherited by blood: 63 / 12 countries  
Inherited by relation: 23 / 11 countries  
Gifted Inheritances: 73 / 16 countries

Abilities:

$ Parseltounge, 75% blocked (parsel magic/writing) [Viperian]  
$ Metamorphmagus, 100% blocked [Baker]  
$ Necromancy, 100% blocked [Le Fay]

Creature inheritance(s):

$ Mage to all five elements, 100% blocked

other magical infuelce(s) [spell(s)/potion(s)]:

$ muggle-agression spell  
$ anti-knowledge potion  
$ distracting spell  
$ multiple obliviate spells  
$ diverse tracking spells °

Frambook stared shocked on the parchment before him.

"Who dared to do this? This is unbelievable! Mister Potter, is it in your interest, that we call a goblin healer, to remove all your blocks and the spells and potions used on you?"

"Yes. Is it possible to remove everything? Including the obliviate spells and recover the original memories?"

"They'll try, but it's not sure."

"Then I'd like to try it."

Frambook called Griphook inside and told him to prepare the special room and call for the healer, so that all blocks and spells could be removed and the potion reversed.

xXxXxXx

A still pretty shaken Harry and a really angry Frambook arrived in the prepared room where the healer already waited for them.

"Mister Potter, could you please undress yourself and come over here?"

Harry did as he was told. When he reached his underwear, he stopped.

"Do I have to take off my underwear as well?"

The healer looked up from what he was doing. "No, that isn't necessary. Please, come over here and lay down in the middle of this circle with your feet facing the door."

After he laid down, the healer gave him a potions vial. "This is a sleeping draught, who also helps in opening your magical core for easier access to remove all those blocks. Once I'm done, I'll give you the counter draught and you'll wake up again."

Harry just took the vial, opened it and downed the liquid.

When Harry woke up again, he felt different. He felt like someone, who always wore restrains do hinder his movements and whose restrains now where gone. He felt good. Wrong. He didn't just feel good. He felt unbelievable, unstoppable.

When he went to redress himself, the first item on his pile were his glasses. He was confused, because he already could see perfectly. Harry turned around and asked the goblin healer. He explained him, that not only all of his blocks, the spells and the potion could be removed, but also could most of his memory be recovered and his eyesight got fixed as well. Happy about this explaination, Harry got back to dress himself and afterwards followed Frambook back to his office.


	4. Chapter 3

~ will of L&JP ~

CHAPTER 3

Back in the office, the number of parchments on Frambook's desk had been multiplied. And some small boxes were on the table as well.

"Mister Potter, please, take a seat. We have some papers to go trough. But first, take those." He shoved the small boxes over the desk towards Harry.

"Those boxes contain your family rings, that show, that you are truelly the lord of all,your inherited families."

"But which ones should I wear? Because I can't wear them all. I have not enough fingers...?", Harry asked, confused.

"That isn't a problem at all. Normally, a wizard, who is the heir to a family, wears the heir ring on the right middle finger. And the lord of a family wears the family ring on the left ring finger, since ohe right ring finger is reserved for the bonding ring.

And if someone is the lord of more than one family, like you are, then he wears all of the family rings on this finger. Because the rings have the ability to melt to one single ring, and you can decide, which family crest you want everyone to see, or if you don't want anyone to see your ring at all. Another security meassurement is, that once you wear the rings, you'll be the only one to take them off again."

Harry took the boxes and opened one after the other, took the ring out of it and showed it to Frambook, who told him, which ring bore which crest. Then he put one ring after the other on his ringfinger. This was another special experience, because every time he put a ring on, it took a drop of his blood from his finger for a last verification and then resized itself to fit perfectly.

When Harry had put on all of his rings, he decided to let the Potter crest be seen.

"Now, that the rings are taken care off, let us continue with your inheritances. Is there something special that you want to start with?", Frambook asked the young lord.

"Yes, actually, there is. How can I be a pure blood, when my mother was a muggleborn? And why was there a second surename listed with her maiden name 'Evans'? I was always told, that my mother's name was 'Lily Evans' before she married my father."

"Ah, yes. This is a very interesting question. Also, it is a question I got asked about seventeen years ago as well, when your parents came here to find a way to convince James Potter's parents to allow your parents marriage.

It appeares, that your mother was actually a pureblood, whose parents died shortly after her birth. They were light wizards and good friends with one Albus Dumbledore. After their death, he brought your mother to a couple whom he knew and who wasn't able to conceive a child on their own.

This couple adopted her and raised her as their own, without ever so much as mention that she was adopted."

"Wait, my mother was adopted? Which makes Petunia my aunt only on paper, but not by blood!? And Dumbledore KNEW!? And he still sent me back to this abusive 'home' every summer because of so called blood wards, that couldn't exist at all?!" Harry was fuming once more.

"Since you are now a lord, even though you aren' of age yet, and the people you live with right now aren't of your blood, you would be in your full right to live in one of your estates or houses by yourself. You would only be required to have a house elve with you to guarantee that you eat properly and are also taken care of. But we can look into this later. Now, we will take a look at your parents will, if it's okay with you?"

Harry nodded.

"This here is your parent will. To read it, all you have to do is to add one drop of your blood on the parchment for verification."

~ This is the will of James Harold Potter and Lily Rose Potter née Evans-Viperian

We write this will while being in our own mind and of health.

This will replaces every will writen earlier in our lives.

Should anything happen to us and our beloved baby boy, Harry James Potter, will be left behind, he is to stay with his godfather, Lord Sirius Orion Black. If this isn't possible, he is to be staying with his other godfather, Severus Tobias Snape.  
He must not, by no means, be handed over to Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore or my adoptive sister Petunia Dursley. The first will only use him for his so-called 'Greater Good' and the second hates magic more than everything else.

Now to the financial stuff.  
To Sirius Orion Black, we give over custody of our son, nothing else, since he's already rich enough.  
To Remus John Lupin, we give the vault called 'wolf funds', which will act as some kind of trust fund for him to be taken care off, since hehs such a hard time finding a job and the wolfsbane potion is everything but cheap. And Moony, this is in no way some charity, but looking after a very dear friend.  
To Severus Tobias Snape, we give the vault called 'potions research funds', so he can research and experiments with his beloved potions as muchas he wants without caring for money.

Everything else goes to our son, including all books about mages, necromancy and metamorphmagi.~

Harry's magic was whirling around him in his rage. "To put everything together: in my parents will is stated, that I must not, by any means, be given over to Dumbledore and the Dursleys, but to Sirius or, as surprising as it is, to Snape. And in the night my parents got killed, Dumbledore leaves me on the abusive Dursley's doorstep, in the middle of the night, and my godfather isn't sent to Azkaban, without a trial, until a week later. And if this wouldn't be enough, I'd have had another godfather, whom no one ever mentioned to me, who would have been available to raise , how come that my parents will hasn't been read until now?"

By now, Frambook was fuming as well. "Your parents' will hasn't not been read by now. Because every will is read by the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot as soon as the writer of a will dies."  
"And who exactly was this Chief Warlock back then, who ignored the whole thing? And why didn't ever anyone ask about it as well? I know for one, that Remus Lupin strugles everyday to survive because he hardly finds a job and now Sirius, who helped him as far as he could, is gone as well."

"Dumbledore" was all Frambook pressed out during gritted teeth.

"Is there anything I can do to get back at Dumbledore for everything he has done to me? And is there a way to find out, who else was involved with him concerning the mistreatement of myself over all those yearrs? And would it be possible for you to inform Remus of the vault for him? But I don't yet want Snape to be informed, if possible."

"I'd say, that, before we do anything at all, we'll check your vault movements, to make sure, if they also stole your money or just your childhood."

Harry agreed to this.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

After they checked all the documents about tthe vault movements, they found out, that every month between six and seven thousend galleons got withdrawn from Harrys trust vault and moved to the vaults of Albus Dumbledore and the Weasley family vault. And up to Harrys eleventh birthday and since then, always during the summer holidays, there also got one thousand galleons more withdrawn and put in the account of a muggle bank for the Dursleys.

"They didn't take more money, probably, because you usually need the ring with the family crest to enter the vault, but the trust vault is accessed with a key. And if you want, we can transfer all taken money back into your vault. Except for the money in the muggle bank, this money we'll take from Albus Dumbledore, since he was the one who withdrew all the money. And if they don't have enough money in their vaults, which in Mr. Dumbledore's case shouldn't be a problem, the ownership of one of their possessions, in the Weasley's case, their house called "The Burrow", would go over to you.""Even though I really don't need the money, I'd like you to get everything back for me. And what can you do about Dumbledore and Ginny trying to steal my whole Black inheritance? And Dumbledore taking my Gringotts letters? And what do you do with Dumbledore for copying my trust vault key? Because he had to do that since I've got mine on me evere since I got it when I was eleven."

"Albus Dumbledore and Ginevra Weasley will get a goblin trial for attempted theaft. Because with what they've done, they could destroy the trust the wizarding world has in us for protecting their money, which will be severely punished. Albus Dumbledore will get another goblin trial for stealing your money all those years and for not respecting your parents will and acting against their last wishes, of which child abuse followed. And since we inform the wizarding world about the results of our trials, he probably wont be Chief Warlock much longer, since he abused his position. And if you'd like to hire a lawyer, be it a goblin or a wizard, he'd have to check with the Wizengamot, if Dumbledore abused your seats by naming himself, without your knowledge, as your proxy, to get some laws passed or stop them from passing."

"Is the goblin trial nicer or worse than those in the wizarding world? Because if they're nicer than here, I'd want them to have their trials here. And if possible, I'd want nothing else happening to the Weasleys yet, at least as long as I don't know who of the family is involved. And I'd like to hire the best goblin lawyer you know, because with a goblin I know, that I can trust them."

"Don't worry about that, mister Potter. The goblin trials are three times worse than in the wizarding world. And about the lawyer, I'd recommand Bardook, who is also the account manager of the Black vaults."

"Is there a possibility to arrange a meeting with him in about two days? And is there some possibility to get back at the Dursleys?"

"There shouldn't be a problem with a meeting in two days. I'll send you the exact time, once more with a portkey, by owl. And about your muggle family, let me just check the parchments. Where is it the family lives?""4 Privet Drive, Surrey"

Frambook looked through the documents on his desk. Then he took one piece of muggle paper and handed it over to Harry. "This document shows that you are the owner of the house they live in ever since shortly before your parents died. About a week before, actually. With this paper you can go to the muggle police and let them throw the family out. But you'd need to have a guardian with you, because otherwise you wouldn't be able to, since they're your only relatives and you're not yet of age."

"So basically, I can throw them out of the house, but only, if I tell Snape everything and he helps me? Buggers!"

"Yes, that's about it. At least, you can choose. And you'd have to tell Mr. Snape anyway, since once Albus Dumbledores trial is over, the ministry will know that you don't have a guardian and can take up this empty place until you're done with school."

"In this case, I guess I'll tell Snape as soon as possible. Is there a possibility for me to get a copy of the will and perhaps the key for the vault he inherited? And how long do I have to tell him? And is it possible to get his adress?"

"Of course can I give you a copy of the will. As for the key, this isn't possible because you aren't the owner. But I can give you a letter that stated, that the key is here for him to get it. And even though I can't give you his adress, I can get you a portkey to his house. If I were you, I'd tell him today, so he can also be present for the meeting with Bardook in two days."

Harry groaned, but knew, he didn't really have a choice in this matter. "Okay, then I'd like to have this portkey to take off right after I leave here."

"That shouldn't be a probleml at all. Is ther anything else you'd like to know? Because otherwise we'd be done by now with the part you'll need my assistance with."

Harry thought for a moment. "No, not right now. But would it be possible to get that portkey, the copy of the will and the letter now? And I'd come some other time to take a look at my vaults."

"Of course, mister Potter. It'll take just a moment." Frambook took an empty parchment, lied the will next to it and tapped both with his right index finger. Afterwards, he took another parchment and a quill and wrote the letter for Snape. He sealed both of the parchments with wax, tapped the copied will once more with his finger and gave them both to Harry.

"The will copy will act as a portkey as soon as you'll leave Gringotts. And your ring acts as a sort of portkey. Just tapp the ring twice with your wand and think of the home you want to go to."

"Thank you, Frambook. I'll wait for your owl. Good bye and may your gold flow."

"Good bye, mister Potter, and good luck!"

Harry left the vice directors office and walked through the empty room. As soon as he left it, he felt the portkey activate itself. 'Off to Snape it is.'


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

When he arrived, Harry looked around. He was standing in front of a house, nothing special, and he would never have guessed that the potions master would live there.  
He took the three steps to the door and knocked.

He didn't have to wait until the door got opened by his professor, dressed in a simple black shirt and some dark jeans.

"Potter?! What are you doing here? And how exactly do you know where I live?"

"Hello, professor. Could I come in? I have to tell you some stuff, important stuff."

"Come in. But I hope, it really is important. Because you disturbed me while I was in the middle of a potion and now I have to start it over again."

Harry entered the house and was led to the living room. Once they both sat down, Harry handed the copy of his parents' will and the letter from Gringotts to Snape.

"One is a copy of my parents' will and the other is a letter from Gringotts. And you probably should read the will first and then the letter. When you read both, I'll tell you what happened today."

Snape took both documents and started with the will. When he came to the part where he was named Harry's second godfather, he was kind of shocked, but also sad in the same moment. Sad, because he just got to know that he lost over fifeteen years in the live of his childhood friends' son. He never would have thought that Lily had forgiven him for what he said back in school. But this will stated it. Then he continued to read the will till the end. And the letter afterwards.

When he was done, Snape was angry. He couldn't believe that he could have had a godson to raise. That Lily actually forgave him and he never got to know it. He had to think about this. But first, he needed to know, what led to Harry getting to know this will after such a long time.

"Lily really forgave me?! And she even made me your godfather together with the mutt?!" Severus asked Harry, still dazed about the relevations.

"Forgave you for what? And yes, it appeares that you are my second godfather, the only one, now, that Sirius' dead. And that's actually what startet everything happening today, Sirius' death."

"I had a fight with the marauders, Lily got involved and I made the mistake to call her a mudblood. After this incident, she never spoke to me ever again and got together with your father. I'm still angry with myself for saying this to my best friend. And how is Sirius' death involved with you getting your parents' will? Please, tell me everything that happened."

And Harry did just that.

When he finished, Severus was livid. He couldn't believe how someone could treat a boy like that. An orphan to that. 'Wasn't it enough that the boy lost his parents when he was just a toddler? No, the old coot and the blood treators had to steal from him as well, had to block his power and try to let him do their job, namely defeat the Dark Lord.

He looked at the poor boy. "Harry, I know, I wasn't really the nicest person so far. I want to apologize for everytime I've wronged you. I didn't know. Albus told me before the start of your first year, that I should treat you in a way, that you learn that fame isn't everything. He led me believe, that you were a spoiled child and thought, you could get everything with your fame. And I did just what he asked me to. Even though, I sometimes asked myself, why you reacted so bad to the articles about you in the newspapers.  
And I'd like to be a godfather to you. If you'd be okay with it.  
You don't have to answer me right away. Do you have somewhere to go for the night, so you wouldn't have to go back to those muggles? If yes, then why don't you go there, we both sleep a night over everything and meet again tomorrow?  
And if you don't have anywhere to go right away, you could also just stay here and we talk about everything tomorrow, so we can both calm down and look at it from a new angle with new energy."

"If it really is okay with you, I'd like to stay here. I might own quite a lot of properties, but the only ones I know are Grimmauld and Privet Drive, and I don't either want to go to Grimmauld because of all the memories of Sirius nor to Privet Drive as long as the Dursleys still live there."

Snape nodded understanding.

"Then please, come with me and I'll show you to the guest room. And I'll give you something to wear to sleep, and the first thing we'll do tomorrow, after we talked everything through, is going shopping. Because you really are in need of a new wardrobe!"


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

When Harry woke up the next morning, he looked around in the room. He was confused... And then, he remembered.

Everything...

He got up, got dressed and went into the bathroom, before he went downstairs to look for something to eat. In the kitchen, he found his potins professor, once more dressed in some dark jeans and a black button down shirt, making some chocolate chips omelets, and on the table were already two sets of plates, cutleries and some glasses and cups, as well as two pots of coffee and orange juice respectively.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, mister Potter. I hope, you slept well, despite of what happened yesterday. I hope you like chocolate chips omelets, or would you prefere toast with some fruit jam? And please, call me Severus, since I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, wasn't bad. I didn't have any nightmares, which is pretty rare and nice. And the omelets are fine, thank you. And if I shall call you Severus, please call me Harry as well."

Since Severus was finished with cooking, they both took a seat on the breakfast table and startet eating. Harry was surprised that Severus could cook and his surprise must have shown on his face, since he smirked towards his godson and explained, that there isn't such a difference betweem brewing potions and cooking despite the ingredients.

"But if cooking and brewing is almost the same, shouldn't I then be better in potions than I now are? Because I learnt cooking when I was four. Or could that also have something to do with Dumbledores spells and potions?"

"You sure should. And it probably had something to do with those spells and potions. But we'll have the rest of the holidays to check this and everything else. But I'd say, we're going to take care of those muggles first, if that's okay with you?"

"Of course it's okay with me. As soon as we're done here, I'm gonna get the document, that shows me as owner of the house, and also the official document that shows, that you're my godfather and my legal guardian, since I really want to give us being godfather and -son a try.""Then why don't you go get this stuff now, because there's a simple spell to clean everything up down here. And we could go some muggle cloths shopping before we put this filth out to the street, that way, that way,they won't have that much time to find some place to sleep. And I really won't let you walk around in those racks you call clothes one minute longer than absolutely necessary!"

"That's both fine by me. I'm upstairs. Be right back."

After Harry got back down and Severus had cleaned up, they left the house and Severus side-along apparated his godson to an abandoned street near Londons shopping street.

"So, Harry, what would you like to have to wear? Normal stuff like jeans, trainers and shirts, like every average person? Or is there a special style you'd like to try?"

"I think, something similar to your style, perhaps? Black, maybe something goth...? Because it would show everyone, that I've changed, and the clever could get an idea fot what happened to me. Plus, I like the style and it's special. And shocking."

"Black sounds good. And I personally like goth. There's so much you can do with only black clothes. Now, let's go look for some goth shops."

"Sure, let's go!"

xXxXx

Once, they'd found the first goth shop, they entered it and Harry began looking for his new wardrobe. He found the store amazing.  
He went around inside and gathered a lot of pants, shirts, shoes and other accessoires. Severus helped him to carry everything back to the changing rooms.  
Harry went into the changing room and tried one outfit after the other. He took everything that fittet him and he liked. Severus found it amazing, how different his godson looked in some form fitting clothes, and especially, how perfect the goth style was for him. All he now still needed, was a new haircut, perhaps some eyeliner as well.  
"Severus, I think, I found everything in here that I like. For now, I have enough clothes. All I need now, are some contacts and maybe a visit at a hair salon...? Could you wait for a minute? I'm just going to change into a new outfit, because I really don't want to walk around in those rags anymore, since I don't have to."

While Harry went changing, his godfather asked the shop assistant, if there was a good hairsaloon close by, that was acepting of special hair styles. She told him, that there was a saloon, who specialized in goth, metal and japanese hairstyles and styling as well only about a hundred meters down the street.

xXxXx

About three hours later, Severus and a new Harry Potter left the saloon again. Except for the emerald green eyes, there was nothing else left of the old Boy-Who-Lived.

He was dressed in all black clothes, skinny trousers with an assortement of chains and other stuff on them, a thight tank top, black military boots and some leather bands around his arms, as well as a chain around his neck, his hair had green and silver strikes, whereas the green was the same as the one of his eyes, and Severus promised, that on the next day, in Diagon, he could get his hair grow out magically all the way down to midback. And the stylist also gave him a years stock of make-up and black eyeliner, to cover up his scar and to underline his astoundished eyes. Now Harry was pestering the potions master to allow him to get his eyebrow, his tongue and both of his ears pierced.

"No, Harry, not today. You have the rest of the holidays to change yourself, you really don't have to do everything today. And we still have something else to take care of today. Why don't we go to get something to eat and then go to the muggle police to throw your 'relatives' out on the streets?"

"Okay." mumbled Harry, "but don't think, I'll forget it by then. Maybe I'll also want a tattoo by then."

"As long as you remember, that a tattoo is permanent, and the motive has some meaning for you, I wouldn't know, why you shouldn't get one. And if you!d like, I'd take you to a wizarding tattoo artist, so you could actually get a moving tattoo."

"I actually have already an idea for one. A stag, a wolf, a grim, a snake and a lily, all of them together, maybe even surrounded by a cektic knot."

"I get the stag, wolf, grim and the lily. But why a snake?"

"Since you're my godfather as well as Sirius was, you already became quite important to me, even though, we just got a chance to get to know one another.", Harry blused.  
Severus didn't know, what to say to that.


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

After their lunch at a pub, they got Harrys contacts and then went to the police office.

Once Harry told the officer some of his childhood experiances at the Dursley's and they showed him the documents that showed Severus' guardianship of Harry and Harrys ownership of the house in Surrey, the officer was livid.

"Misters Snape and Potter, I'm sincerely sorry for what happened to you, and if you'd excuse me for a moment, then I'd get some of my collegues and we'll take care of the Dursleys. Feel free to come with us to see, that justice is taken care of. If you'd like to have some coffee and donuts while I'm explaining your case to my captain, the break rom is right over there."

While they waited for the police men to come to get them, they helped themself to some coffee and donuts. And Harry asked something that he was wondering since the day before already.

"Severus, why didn't you have a problem with suddendly being my godfahter, but accepted it right away? Because, to be honest, I kind of expected you to decline everything and close the right in front of my door when you saw me."

"Well, as you already know, I was friends with your mother when we were at Hogwarts until I ruined it, when I called her a mudblood. But what I didn'untill you, was, that we both grow up in the same neighbourhood and already were best friends before we went to school. This also made the whole fight even worse, because of it I didn't loose my best friend of five years, but of almost ten. Therefore, I was happy, she actually forgave me, and at the same time, I was sad, that I lost fifeteen years of your life, that I could have had, and instead treated you so bad. And I'm really sorry for that, but Albus told me before your first year, that you were a spoiled child and needed at least one teacher, who kept you down, so you'd realize, that you weren't any better."

"Dumbledore is so going to pay for everything. Could you perhaps mention this to my lawyer tomorrow as well? And I really want to know, who else is involved in this betrayal. And if Ron and Hermione are in it as well, I want to change to your house for the last two years. Actually, I'd like to change to Slytherin anyway, because then we'd have more possibilies to spend more time together, to make up for those years we lost."

"You can change houses at the beginning of every school year, if the sorting hat actually resorts you into another house. But it won't put you especially in Slytherin just because you feel like it, since it's the 'hated house'. And I'd recomend, that you give yourself and my other godson a second chance to get to know each other."

"Your other godson wouldn't happen to be one Draco Malfoy, would he?"

"Yes, it is him."

"I think, I'd give him and Slytherin a second chance."

"What d you mean, 'giving Slytherin a second chance'?"

"Well, I asume, you know, that Hagrid ws the first person to ever be nice to me? And when he took me to Diagon to get my school stuff, I met this blond boy at Madame Malkin's, who made me feel absolutely stupid for my lack of knowledge and said some bad stuff about Hagrid, when he came tto get me. And then, on the train, he had nothing better to do than to make fun of Ron, who happened to be my first friend, ever. And Hagrid and Ron told me, that all the dark wizards came from Slytherin house. So, when the sorting hat wanted to put me into Slytherin, I begged it, to not put me there. Therefore, I don't think that there wouldn't be a problem for the hat to put me into the house I should have been in since first year, don't you think?"

Severus was gaping at Harry. "You should have been a snake all the time? Griffindors Golden Boy, a snake in the lions den? That's just too good. And I bet, that at least Hagrid had been told, to just tell you the worst things about my house, so you'd be biased as the majority of first years are before the sorting. Because he really couldn't have his saviour being a snake."

"That's possible. And I also don't think, that what he told me about my mother saving me by dying is true as well, because if it were true, shouldn't there be more orphans like myself, since every mother would die to save their child?"

"I guess, we'll get to know that later. If not from Dumbledore, we could always ask the Dark Lord. Because he really isn't as bad as Dumbledore tells everyone. Especially since he has his human body back. But let's talk about it later tonight,since the police men are coming."

Harry nodded to show his agreement and they got up to join the officers.

xXxXx

They stood in front of the house in Surrey and watched, as the policemen knocked on the door. The door got opened by Vernon Dursley, who was confused. "If you came for the boy, you're too late. He disappeared yesterday."

"Would this boy, you're talking about, happen to be one mister Harry Potter?"

"Yes, that'd be him. Why?"

"We aren't here to look for him. He's actually with us. Now, why don't you invite us inside, so we could talk with yourself as well as with your wife and son? Unless you want to bring them to the door and we talk to you here, where the whole neighbourhood could listen in?"

"No, please, come in.", Vernon said and bid them all inside into the living room. Harry and Severus followed the first two officers, while the other two followed they sat in the living room on the couch, Petunia and Dudley came downstairs.

"WHAT IS THE FREAK DOING HERE, AND ON THE COUCH NONETHELESS? AND WHY IS HE HERE?"

"Hello, Petunia. It has been quite some time since we saw each other last. And I must say, I really don't like how you're talking about my godson. And also about how you treated him the past fifeteen years. Actually, that's one of the reasons why we're here, together with those nice police officers."

Petunia gaped and sputtered then "g-g-godson?"

"Well yes. I just found out about it yesterday, when I read my parent's will. And I got to know some other interesting stuff as well. Like, you actually being payed for taking care of me. And the money was enough that you actually could buy me some clothes, give me an actual bedroom and feed me three times a day. But instead, you had me sleep in the cupboard under the stairs until I was elevem, while Dudley had two bedrooms, let me do all the chores in the house as soon as I was old or tall enough and gave me Dudleys old rags for clothes. And I bet, you used MY money, to send your Dudders to Smeltings. And I also found a nice document, that shows, that I own this house. And this is to change right away."

"This is the thanks that we took you in when we found you on our doorstep on this november morning all those years ago?", Vernon thundered. His face was red with anger.

"Mister and Madame Dursley, we order you to gather your clothes and toilet articles and be back down here in about fifeteen minutes, your son's as well, and come with us. Everything else is to be left here, so it can be sold to start repaying your nephew. You'll be brought in front of a judge as well for child neglect,child abuse and theft. Oh, and here's the official paper with the judge's signature."

While the Dursleys gathered their stuff, Harry showed his godfather and the officer the cupboard. Afterwards, they returned to the living room.

"Mister Potter, if it's alright with you, we'd bring a specialist here to estimate the worth of the whole inventure of this house."

"That.s fine by me. I think about renting it out, so if you know someone who rents houses out for someone else, could you please give us his contacts? And watch that my so-called aunt leaves her juwelery here, because she's got quite a collection."

"Yes, I could give you the adress of someone for your house. And we'll check their bags anyway, since they aren't allowed to take anything of worth with them. Now, their time is up, so let's go see what they're doing so long."

When they got to the master bedroom, they saw Petunia puting her juwelery box into her suitcase, and Vernon just sat on the bed annd comanded his wife around. They went to Dudleys room, where they saw him trying to put all his sweets into his suitcase, instead of his clothes.

"Your time to pack is up. Please bring your suitcases downstairs, where we'll check them, that you don't take anything else than your clothes with you."

When they weren't down after five minutes, two officers went upstairs to get them. Back in the living room, they opened al three of the suitcases. The first one was almost completely filled with sweets, and the rest of the space was used for some shirts and pants, the second one was filled with button up shirts, ties, and some suits, and the last one contained Petunias jewelery box and some clothes as well. It appeared that noone took the time to get his or her stuff from the bathroom.

After Petunias jewelry box was taken out of the suitcases again, they brought the family outside and had them get into the police cars. Severus and Harry were the last to get into one of the cars, because they wanted to enjoy the muggles to be brought away. And they knew, they'll enjoy it even more to watch them being brought into holding cells.


	9. Chapte 8

CHAPTER 8

On the next morning, during breakfast, an owl arrived with a letter from Gringotts. It stated, that their appointment with Bardook will take place at 11 am inside the bank and that the portkey will get off at 10.50.

"As it is now around nine o'clock, this leaves us with almost two hours to get dressed and think about what all we have to look at with your lawyer, Harry. I'd say, we clean up, get upstairs to dress and then sit in the living room and write everything down, so we won't forget it."

They finished their cups of coffee, cleaned everything up and went upstairs. After about twenty minutes, they both were back down, sitting on the couch in the living room with a quill, some ink and an empty parchment on the small table in front of them.  
Severus took the quill, pulled the parchment to himself and looked at his godson.

"I think, you should start with what you want him to check and/or do, since you'll have a lot more than I. And I'll add what seems important to me, but you didn't think of or mention. If that's okay with you like that."

Harry nodded.

"I think, that'll be best, as well. The most important thing will be, that Albus Dumbledore and Ginny Weasley pay. And everyone else who betrayed me together with them or knew of the betrayal and didn't do anything against it. I know for one, that Mrs. Weasley is in on everything. And perhaps, it is possible to ask all three of them under Veritaserum who else was involved.

Also, there's the withholding of my parents will, the theft of the money from my trust vault, the spells and potions, Dumbledore used on me. Plus, my shitty childhood, all the abuse I was put trough because of him, starting with him leaving me on a doorstep in the middle of the night after my parents death, with nothing than a thin babyblanket for protection against the cold november night, and he left me there, even though, my godfather was not yet in prison. I'm wondering, if Dumbledore is even behind all the abuse of the Dursleys?"

"I think, that might actually be true. Let's ask Bardook today, if there is a way to question those muggles under Veritaserum about it, okay?"

"Yes. I hope, there's a way to find out. And Frambook also suggested, that he'd check, if Dumbledore perhaps used my seats at the Wizengamot as my proxy, without my approval of his actions.  
And I think, he should also check with the ministry, that it's official, that you, as my godfather, are my guardian.  
Is there anything else, you can think of right now?"

"The only thing I can think of as well, would be, to try to free Sirius post mortem with the checking of his wand for his last spells, which should be possible, since the wand should still be in the ministry archive, and to support it with memories of Lupin, you and myself about the events of the shack. And if you'd be willing to meet with him, we could actually ask the Dark Lord for Pettigrew. That would actually secure the mutt's clearing of all charges."

"I like the idea of clearing Sirius. But is it okay with you, if I think about meeting with Voldemort until it comes up with Bardook? Because I really can't decide this right now."

"Sure. Just let me know as soon as you decide, so I can arrange everything. But I suppose, you'll have to meet with him one time or another anyway, since it won't get unnoticed by him, that I'm your godfathe and guardian as of now. And it's always better, to have such an appointment on your turns. But it's really up to you."

"And if it's possible, could we ask Bardook, if we also can press charges on Dumbledore, for not asking for a trial for Sirius, but insisting, that he, sadly, couldn't do anything to free him, even though, with him being Chief Warlock, it wouldn't have been difficult at all to get one?"

"We'll check that as well. Is there anything else that comes to your mind, or would you like to think of, what all you want to do in and need from Diagon Alley?"

"I have a question first, before planing our day at Diagon Alley. Are any other animals allowed at Hogwarts than owls, cats and toads? And if yes, which and under which conditions?"

"What animals would you be thinking about?"

"Well, some kind of reptile... like, a snake...?" Harry grinned somewhat sheepishly.

"Starting with third year, a student is allowed any animal, up to the size of a large dog, as long, as he can controll it, feeds it appropriately and it is taken care of perfectly, without polluting the school in any way.  
With you being a parselmouth, you're able to controll any snake, especially if it'd be your familiar. And if your future pet turns out to be poisonous, I'd just need a few drops of it's poison to create an antidote. Then there wouldn't be any problem with it at all. Except, of course, other students and some teacher, who'd have a problem with a snake around them." Severus had an evil glint in his eyes, when he thought about the most possible reaction of everyone to a snake as Harry Potter's pet.

"Awesome! So, what I really need from Diagon Alley are some decent robes, dress robes, school robes and also some everyday robes, a snake, some owl treats for Hedwig, whom I'd like to send of with a letter to Malfoy Manor tonight or tomorrow, perhaps you could check it before I send it for proper use of etiquette, some books about everything I have to know as a Lord of a lot of wizarding families, and perhaps, we could make a detour to Knocktourn Alley, so I could look, if I find some books in parseltongue? And I really have to retrieve the books about mages, necromancy and metamorphmagi.

And could you glamour me while we're in the Alleys, so Dumbledore wouldn't get to know about me being with you? Because, if possible, I don't want him to know this before his trial.

Oh, and I want to get my ears pierced! I'll wait with more piercings and the tattoo until later, to be absolutely sure about it, but I wanted to have my ears pierced for years now. And I'd like to lengthen my hair as well, and perhaps make the highlights permanent as well. Or at least somewhat semipermanent, so they'll stay all coloured at least until winter break."

"Maybe some shues and eventual accessoires as well? I'd suggest some dragonhide boots, for example. But otherwise, I think, you listet everything important. And we'll see, if we find anything else.

That I'll check your letter to Draco, is a sure thing. I still can't believe, that Dumbledore neglected his responsibility as far, as you not even knowing of your heritage, but I reckon that he hoped, that with time, he'll find a way into your vaults, or that you die before reaching maturity, so you wouldn't need it at all and also wouldn't get suspicious of anything going on behind your back.

And I really am glad, that you only want to get your ears pierced right now, but think of any other piercings and tattoos once more, before you get them.

Now, we have another half an hour until the portkey goes off. Is there anything special you'd like to do in this timeframe?"

"I think, I'll write a letter to Moony, explaining everything and also informing him of our plan to ask Bardook about freeing Sirius. I'll send it right before we leave, so Hedwig might be back tonight already for Malfoy's letter."

"Good idea. I could as well add a few lines for him as well. I don't think he'd mind, and I have to start somewhere, if I'd want to try to rebuild our friendship from our schooldays. Which I do, especially with you here."

Severus accio-ed some more parchment and another quill and they both started writing.

At ten to eleven, Harry went upstairs to get Hedwig, who was napping on her perch in his room.

Back downstairs, they fixed their letters around Hedwig's leg, send her on her way, grabbed the portkey and got pulled away into a room at Gringotts in front of an office.

Bardook's office.


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

"Misters Potter and Snape, I assume?", asked them the goblin sitting behind the desk.

Severus nodded. "Yes, you'd be assuming correct. We're here to meet with Bardook."

"Please sit down for a moment, I'll inform Bardook of your arrival."

The goblin motioned with his hand to a couch opposite his desk.  
The two of them went over there to sit down, while the goblin went through a door next to his desk. After a few moments, he came back and motioned the two waiting to follow him.  
Behind the door they went through was an office quite similar to Frambooks.

The goblin behind the desk stood up to greet them. "Good day, misters Potter and Snape. Please, take a seat."

They took a seat on the other side from Bardooks desk in a set of comfortable chairs.

"Vice director Frambook has informed me of some of your problems already, but I assume, you took some time to think and came up with quite some stuff for me to take care of and look after."

"Yes, you'd be right to assume this. We made a list with everything, we'd like your help with writen down on it."

Severus pulled the roll of parchent out of his robe pocket and handed it over the desk to the goblin lawyer, who took it, opened it and read it through carefully.

"When vice director Frambook informed me about the witholding of your parents' will, mister Potter, I checked with the Ministry of Magic, that the guardian ship of mister Severus Snape is official and could only be removed, if you yourself, since you're already fifeteen years old, are against it and could present someone more suited for the job. But I think I'm right to assume, that isn't necessary, since you're both here together and there isn't any sign of animosity between the two of you."

The two nodded towards the lawyer. "You're assuming right. I am perfectly good with Severus being my godfather and taking care of me. I'm just sad, that it needed the death of my other godfather, Sirius Black, and the attempted theft of everything he left me for us to actually get to know each other. Majorly to blame for us not getting along together at all would also be to blame on our dearest headmaster, who told my godfather lies about me before I even started school and ordering him to be especially nasty towards myself, so I wouldn't get to think that fame would be everything. But thanks Merlin, a copy of my parents' will was enough for him to actually trying to get to know the real me."  
Harry smiled at his potions professor.

"Wait, you're telling me, that the headmaster of Hogwarts actually ordered a teacher to treat a student like worthless scum?"

"Yes, that he did." sneered Severus. "And that's not all. He left a fifeteen month old baby with nothing more that a thin babyblanket wrapped around him, and a letter telling about his parents' death on a doorstep in the middle of the night in november. Even though, he knew, that the muggle family hated magic and the baby had a godfather he knew about, who was perfectly capable of taking care of the little boy. but instead, he took the baby out of the griefing godfather's arms and gave him to Hagrid, who then brought him to the Dursley's house, where they left him. In an abusive household! And the topping of everything is, that Albus Dumbledore sent Black to Azkaban for something he didn't do, without a trial or even a testing of the auror's wand."

"Yes, I saw it on your list, that you'd like for Sirius Black to be cleared, even though he isn't among us living anymore. He deserves to be honoured for what he did during his life, be it during his work as auror or later on after his escape from prison."

"What exactly do you mean that he would be honoured for what he did?", Harry asked the goblin.

"Well, if an auror dies in service to the Wizarding world, be it in active duty or in his own time, the closest relation gets an award with the deceased's name and everything he did during his service. It's really inexcusable, that you, as a son of an auror and the heir to more than one old pureblood families don't know this. It would have been your magical guardian's duty to teach your everything you have to know to be prepared to your future as lord of many families from your early childhood on, since the political meddling actually starts when an heir enters school at eleven. And it's actually a crime if a guardian doesn't teach his charge. Who knows whom you all might have offended by your behaviour. To minimize all offences to other heirs you unknowingly did, I'd offer to write every heir, who attended Hogwarts during your years there, a letter with your official apology and explain, as your lawyer, why you acted the way you did. Would that be to your liking?"

Harry's expression changed from shocked to reliefed by Bardook's offer. "Thank you. I'd very much like it if you'd write those letters. Who knows, whom all I actually offended. I don't even want to think about how my school life so far would have been different, had I know about this stuff. And you won't have to write a letter to Draco Malfoy, since I already wrote to him, with Severus' help, and we'll explain everything to him and his family ourselves."

"Good. Back to Sirius Black; I'll contact the DMLE and ask for a wand checking, since they need to have every criminal's wand stored for twenty-five years minimum. And I'll keep you informed on how it'll be going.

As to one Albus Dumbledore, I'll press charges against him for witholding the will of James and Lily Potter, for ignoring the content of said will, for child abduction, since he took you from your godfather and placed you with those muggles, for abbuse on two cases, since he let Sirius Black be imprisoned without a trial, which would have been his right, especially with him being an auror, and he put you with your magic hating relatives. Then there are various cases of theft, whereas the money was partially used to pay your relations to abbuse you, which will also be another charge against him, and there are all the spells and potions he used on you to surpress your magic and your magical abilities, and all those compulsions, be they to influence yourself or others around you. And I'll check with some of the other lords, if they know of him using more than just his one seat, claiming to be your proxy. If he did, I'll demand a protocoll about all the Wizengamot sessions since your parents' death. And once the trial of Albus Dumbledore is over and he is sentenced guilty of the abuse of his position as your proxy, we can demand that all the votings will be repeated, if you aren't okay with the way he voted in your stead.  
And, of course, I'll also press charges against Albus Dumbledore and Ginevra Weasley for forging of documents, since they wrote a letter, prettending to be you, impersonating as someone else, since they're neither your surrogate grandfather nor your fiancé, and attempted theft of an inheritance. Albus Dumbledore's interfering with your post will be looked in as well, because even as your magical guardian, he didn't have the right to withold your post from you, be it regular statements about your vaults or just plain fanmail. And on top of everything, I'll also press charges on him for abusing his position as headmaster of Hogwarts to order a teacher to almost abuse a student.

Would that then be all, misters Potter and Snape, or is there something else I missed so far?"

"No, that would be all, so far. But we'll look into all of my acqaintances to see, if anybody else was involved, namely the rest of the Weasley family and Hermione Granger, since they are the ones that were closest to me by the start of the summer. And before we came here, I also wrote a letter to Remus Lupin, who was a very close friends to my parents as well. It could be, that we'll contact you as well on his behalf, if Dumbledore did anything to him to prevent him from contacting me. If so, he probably threatened poor Remus to expose his status as a werewolf to the whole Wizarding world or something as bad as that, if not worse."

"Of course that would be okay if you contact me on his behalf. And especially if he was close to your parents and your late godfather, with him being a werewolf, his wolf probably sees you as a part of his pack, if not even as his cub, in which case witholding him from contacting you would be another case of abduction since you being his cub would make you inofficially his family.

And if anyone else shows to be involved in the betrayal of yourself or at least knew of it and didn't have a reason to not come forth, like being black mailed or threated would be, inform me of their names and their missdeed as soon as you find out, so we can press charges to them as well and hopefully remove them from your proximity."

"Thank you, Bardook. That would be all for today. If you need anything else from us, feel free to contact me anytime and I'll make sure, that my godson will be informed as soon as possible.  
And we'll inform you as well as soon as we have some news regarding betraying people or threatened and blackmailed persons.

Now, would it be possible to arrange for us to be brought down to the Potter vaults, so we can retrieve some important books and, eventual, some other things as well?"

"That's fine by me, mister Snape. It will probably take until the end of July for the goblin trial to start, but I'll keep you updated until then on all my progress.  
And for your vault visit, I'll write a short note for you to give to my secretary just outside, so he'll lead you down himself."

"Thank you, Bardook. For everything. And good bye." Harry shacked the goblin's hand, as did Severus.

Then they took the offered note, went outside and let the goblin lead them down to the Potter family vaults.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

When they got back home after a long day at the bank and in the alleys, both Severus and Harry were glad to be back. Because even with Harry under a glamour, the shopping had been long.

Though, the robes shopping at 'Madame Malkins' had been the fastest, especially, since Harry already knew what he wanted.

He was now the proud owner of acrumantula silk dressrobes in black, silver, emerald and royalblue, casual robes in the same colours, two each, with long sleeves and stylish short sleeves respectively.

They also bought sixteen new sets of school robes in the finest qualities, in gryffindor and slytherin, eight each, with the possibility to return the ones not needed and exchange them for ones from his acrual house. The slytherin robes were needed because Harry wanted a resort.

~·~FLASHBACK~·~

At 'Madame Malkins':

"Severus, would it actually be possible to get resorted", asked Harry his godfather.

Severus looked at his godson with a curious look. "Why would you want a resort? Aren't you happy in your beloved Gryffindor?"

"Well, look at it like this:if there's a problem, no one stands by me except a few exeptions. Starting in first year, when we, that is Hermione, Neville and I, lost fifty points each for being out after curefew, the whole house hated me, but not the others. The only ones who didn't hate me, besides the other two were the twins. They were kind of jealous, because they haven't yet been able to loose this many points in one time. And when we won them the housecup, everything was suddendly forgotten. When in second year got discovered that I'm a parselmouth, the whole house shuned me once more, except the twins, who took it with fun and made jokes about the whole affair. Even my so called best friends, Ron and Hermione, couldn't look me into the eyes until after I had to spend the night at the Hosputal Wing while Colin Creevy got attacked. And in fourth year, Ron accused me of lying about putting my name into the goblet of fire until after the first task. The rest of the house didn't believe me neither, but because they were to proud to have a champion as well. Well, the twins once more believed me, but they like partying too much to not enjoy it, especially when there wasn't any quidditch, which is normally the reason for big Gryffindor parties, no matter if we won or lost the game...

And in fifth year, there were those who believed the 'Prophet' over their' friend', with whom they lived together for four years already. You see what I'm talking about? On the other side, all I've seen over the years, Slytherin is a house who stands by their friends and housemates no matter what. Isn't it true?"

Severus was silent for a moment, while he thought about everything the young lord said so far. "Now that you told me this stuff, I have to agree with you. But, pray tell, what makes you think, that you, the 'Gryffindor Golden Boy' will be suited for the house of the snakes beside your ability to talk to snakes, which was a trait of the house's founder?"

"Well, I thought the fact that I had to argue with the Sorting Hat to not put me into Slytherin kind of gives it away...? And then is there also the fact that said hat wants to resort me everytime he sees me without Dumbledork in hearing range...?"

Severus was shocked. "You're telling me, you should have been innmy house all those years? And why did you argue with the hat?"

"Well, since I learnt of the existence of the wizarding world I learned that I was supposed to be the saviour and the one feom whom I should save this world of spineless sheeps used to be a snake. Then I hear that all bad wizards came from said house, which I now know isn't true, since Pettigrew was a lion. Next, I got told that my parents used to be in Gryffindor and that the children, if both parents were in one house, normally get into the same house, meaning, it was expected of me to be a lion. After that, I met this horrible child, who tells me that he will definitiv go to Slytherin and in the end gets there for real. And last but not least, said horrible child insults my very first friend. That's the reason why I didn't go into your house."

"Said horrrible boy didn't happen to be my other godson?"

"But yes, Severus, it was the exact same..."

"Okay, everything clear. To get resorted, you only have to state that you would like to have a resort after the sorting of the first years. And since I am your guardian and approve of it, there is absolutely nothing the headmaster can do about it, if he likes it or not. And since you want to restart with Draco, I don't see a single reason, why anyone in my house should be against yourself in their midst. And if being a friend of the prince and godson of the head of house isn't enough, being the heir of the founder should do the trick."

~·~FLASHBACK END~·~

$ Master, can I come out now?$

$Yes, Lamia, feel free to check out your new home until we go to Hogwarts once more.$

With this, a beautiful black snake appeared feom around Harry's neck, where she was hiding under his ling black hair with the coloured highligts that reached til the middle of the boys back.

"Severus, I 'm going upstairs to put my stuff away and to check, if Hedwig is back alreadym okay?"

"That's okay. Just ask if you need something, otherwise be down for dinner in half an hour."

The boy went upstairs to put his new robes in his wardrobe, expect his school robes, which he out into his new trunk in the wardrobe compartement.

His new school trunk had four compartements, a wardrobe, a library for up to 1000 books with an average of 500 pages, one for different kinds of things like his broom, his potions kit and such and the last was divided into a part to hold parchment roles, quills and inkwells and the other part was pasword protected, for stuff like the marauders map and his fathers cloak. The trunk itself coukd only be opened by putting his hand on a selected part on top of it and it was all black with his initials in silver, a featherlight charm on it and also charmed to shrink and resize with a tip of his wand.

Afted Harry put all his new stuff where it belonged, he got all his old school stuff out of his old trunk and put it into his new one, except for the rags he had had to wear all those years. Those landed in the garbage.

As everything was put away, his beloved owl came into the window carrying a letter.


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

After Harry took the letter from Hedwig, she flew to her perch, where she had a sip of water. He turned the letter over in his hands, because he didn't really recognize the writing, though he knew, that he had seen it before. 'I wonder Who this is from? For some reason the only one who comes to mind is Draco Malfoy. But was it possible that he'd answered so fast? Well, I'll know as soon as I open it...', with that in his thoughts, Harry opened the letter slowly.

*Dear Harry James Potter

I must confess that I was quite surprised when I received your letter. Now knowing about the circumstances that were the reasons for you to act the way you did, I have absolutely no reason to not accept your apology.

And if it is alright with you, I'd like to meet with you on a date of your choice during next week, since I have no plans so far and I think it would be best for us to meet as soon as possible.

I'd also like to offer you to help you learning our ways. I know you life with our godfather right now and he knows about the pureblood ways as well, but other than ourselves, he doesn't have time off, but rather has some potions to make.

I'll await your owl.

Draco Lucius Malfoy

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy*

Harry was glad that the Malfoy heir accepted his apology and thought about asking Severus about the plans for the rest of the week so that he could write back with a meeting date. He was also kind of curious what potions the potions master had to make that he couldn't even enjoy a few weeks without having to work and he was wondering, if his godfather had actually something akin to holidays at all or if he worked all year long on one potion or another.

Realizing that pondering on his thoughts wouldn't give him any answers like the man downstairs would be able to give him, Harry decided to go downstairs and to just ask.

xXxXx

"Severus, I got a letter from Draco Malfoy. He asks if we could meet this week. Do you have anything planned or would it be ok if I could go meet with him…?"

"I'm glad he already answered you. No, unless Bardook discovers anything new that needs our immediate attention, I haven't anything planned this week. Why don't you write him to meet tomorrow around 1, then I could use your absence to brew a patch of Wolfsbane for Lupin, since I think that you'd like for him to be cared for, now, that you're able to."

"Thank you so much for doing this for me! I already thought to ask you if you could do it, but I actually wanted to wait until we know, if he's in on the whole thing or not. Since Remus was the one of the only one's who knew where I was, he could have came to check on me. The first time I saw him was in the train before third year. And I really dont want you to spend your free time and your ingredients for a potion for a traitor.

And I'll write Draco back after dinner to ask him to meet me tomorrow. What do you think, should we meet in muggle London or in wizarding alley? And could you recommend me some place or should I ask him? The only places I am aware of are 'The Leaky Cauldron', 'Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop and 'Mc D's' in Little Whinging. And none of these seem to be a place for us to meet, especially the magical ally as I don't want our meeting to be on the front page of the papers the next morning.. And it will make the front page considering our history and especially being who we are. "

"You being who you are, I'd recommend a meeting in muggle London. But why don't you ask him about a nice place in muggle London and explain to him your reasons of not wanting to meet in the wizarding London. I'm sure he will understand. And if he doesn't know a place, he could ask his father, who, as far as I know, has some businesses in muggle London. "

"Okay, thank you. Now, what's for dinner? And do you need any help?"

"You're welcome. I made a Chef salad with some fries. All you could do would be to set the table, because the fries will be ready in about five minutes and the dressing is already on the salad."

xXxXx

When they were cleaning the table after finishing dinner, an owl came through the open kitchen window and landed in front of Severus. It brought them a letter with the Gringotts seal on it that was addressed to the both of them. Severus took it and opened it.

*Dear Misters Severus Snape and Harry Potter

As you asked I informed myself about the case of Mister Potters godfather Sirius Black and requested to examine the files as is in my right as his heir's lawyer.

When I didn't get a positive answer, I wrote the head of DMLE, Madame Amelia Bones. I received her reply a moment ago.

Since she couldn't find any files on his trial or himself at all and his wand wasn't in the archived either, she asked for you two to come by tomorrow morning so she could listen to our arguments and your story.

If that appointment is fine with you, I'll meet you at ten to nine in the Atrium.

I'm waiting for your answer about the appointment.

Yours sincerely

Bardook

Lawyer at Gringotts*

"Harry' if it is fine with you, I'll write Bardook, that tomorrow s appointment works for us, and you write Draco and inform him as well, that we have a meeting in the morning, just in case that it will take longer than noon, so he knows your reason, should you be late. Okay?"

"Yes, that's fine with me. Would you like to send the letter for Bardook with Hedwig as well? Because the Gringotts owl already left and she is happy to be able to deliver mail as often as possible, since before now she was normally kept in a cage all summer long, and didn't deliver much letters during the school year either."

"In this case I'll let her deliver it. Just bring your letter and your owl down as soon as your done, we don't want our lawyer to wait any longer than necessary.


	13. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

On the next morning, Harry woke up at six o'clock, because he was too nervous about the coming day. Since he couldn't go back to sleep, he prepared a nice breakfast with eggs, bacon, toast with jam and some nice coffee for Severus and tea for himself. When Severus woke up at a quarter to seven, he got greeted with the smell of Harrys breakfast.

"Good morning, Harry. Is there a special reason for you to cook breakfast, or were it the nerves that wouldn't let you sleep?"

"A good morning to you as well. And you are right, I woke up at six and couldn't go back to sleep again, so I thought, I'll prepare breakfast, because then I'd be busy and you wouldn't have to do it for once. And then's there the fact that I'm used to get up early during the holidays, since I had to make breakfast every day at the Dursleys. I hope that's alright with you?"

"Of course is it alright with me. If you want do cook something for us, at anytime of the day, just tell me in advance, so I won't start preparing something as well. The only day in the year where you are not allowed to do our meals will be your birthday. Because you don't have to work on that day, instead, you have to enjoy it."

xXxXx

Severus and Harry arrived at the Atrium at quarter to nine , where they saw Bardook already waiting for them.

"Good morning, Bardook.", greeted Severus and Harry the goblin lawyer.

"A good morning to you as well. I hope you slept well, besides the agitation about our meeting with Madame Bones."

"We slept well, though Harry here was already up at six. What do we have to expect of this meeting?"

"Well, she'll want to know the reason why you wanted me to look into Sirius Black's files, you'll have to tell her everything you know about his case and you'll have to show her some memories about Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. And if more questions appear during the conversation, she'll ask you those as well as to get a good overview of the whole case. And if you have some questions yourself, you can ask them as well, be it questions for Madame Bones or myself."

"Okay. In short, she asks, we answer, and then, we get to ask and get some answers as well..."

"That would be the short version, yes. Now, please follow me to the DMLE."

Harry and Severus followed the goblin to the elevator that would take them down to the right department. Harry was glad, that today's visit if the Ministry wasn't because of something he did or because of an attack on his mind, but to get justice for his late godfather. He hoped that this visit would override some of the bad memories he had of this place.

xXxXx

Once they arrived at the DMLE head office and Severus knocked.

"Yes, come in, please."

They opened the door and went inside, where they saw a woman in her late thirties sitting behind a desk with three chairs in front of it.

"Good morning, Madame Bones. Thank you for taking some of your time for us to clear my godfathers name.", greeted Harry the woman.

"It's a given that I take some time to get some order in this mess. And please, have a seat we have many things to discuss. First, please tell me what you know about the events that involve this case, starting with the murders of Lily and James Potter."

Harry told Amelia Bones everything he knew about the murders of his parents, Pettigrews betrayal, the events at the end of his third year and what else happened, including how Sirius died by falling into the veil in the Department of Mystery.

"So, you're telling me that a lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House got tossed into Azkaban without a trial, was able to escape due to his animagus form, which also helped to keep him sane around the dementors, you saved him by chasing away a hundred dementors with a corporal patronus from being kissed, and then he was on the run and later trapped in his own childhood home? And during all this time, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot knew that he was innocent, and he couldn't help your godfather and also told him a year ago that he couldn't leave the house until they found Pettigrew?

That's impossible! Albus Dumbledore would have to just ask the Wizengamot to give Sirius Black a trial. Or he could have also just tell Sirius Black that, as Lord Black, he could demand a trial, because it would be his right, as no lord is to go to prison without a trial in front of the whole Wizengamot! Would you by any chance have an idea, why Albus Dumbledore would do something like this?"

"Yes. It was, so that he would have control over me and my vaults. A few days ago, I got a letter from Gringotts stating, that it wouldn't be possible for me to give half of my inheritance from Sirius to Albus Dumbledore, whom I'd see as my grandfather, and the other half to Ginevra Weasley, who, according to my letter sent to them, is my fiancé. Though I've never even known that I was Sirius' heir! Well, when I wrote Gringotts that I have no idea what they are talking about, I got a portkey to the bank, where they made an inheritance test.

The results were, that I had several blocks on me, some quite severe, and that Dumbledore stole from me, and paid the Weasley's among others with my money. He also financed his illegal Order of the Phoenix with my money, and paid my relatives, though they treated me worse than a house elf. We also found out, that I own my relatives house and also my uncle's work place. But that isn't really important for you, as my relatives have to answer to the muggle police now about their deeds, and Bardook here is preparing everything so that all those involved in this betrayals and thefts have to stand in front of a goblin trial, as the wizarding court is too nice for what they've done to me."

"Okay. Well, that explains some things. But how come that you're now in the care of Severus Snape here, when you are used to life with muggle relatives?"

"That's easy to explain. Dumbledore sealed my parents' will and it didn't get read until I went to the bank because of that letter... In the will it stated, that Severus is my second godfather, though he himself didn't know, as he wasn't really on speaking terms with my parents when I was born... It was also stated in the will, that I mustn't get put with my aunt's family no matter what,.. But that's also part of the goblin trial. Is there anything else that you'd like to know?"

"No, Mister Potter, that would be all. I have no doubts that your late godfather was innocent. But because you press charges in a goblin trial, I can't officially declare him innocent post-mortem until the question of guilt is answered. Then if there's going to be a goblin trial against an accused, it isn't possible to hold a Wizarding Trial against the same accused for similar delinquencies. But you can add this facts to your charges, lawyer Bardook."

"Thank you, Madame Bones, I will most certainly do that. Might I add you to the list of witnesses?"

"Of course you might. I'd be honored to testify in front of a goblin trial."

"Thank you, Madame Bones, for everything. Especially for believing us that my godfather was innocent of everything."

"You're welcome, Mister Potter. I wish you good luck for the trial. And my condolences for your loss!"

xXxXx

Once they were back at the Atrium, they arranged to meet again three days later to go over everything for the trial. When that was done, Bardook took his leave and Severus and Harry went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. Afterwards, Severus would go back home to brew the Wolfsbane and Harry would go into the 'Four Seasons' to meet with Draco Malfoy.


	14. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

When Harry entered the 'Four Seasons', a very expensive muggle restaurant, he felt kind of overwhelmed. He had never been to a building with such an expensive looking furnishing. Harry went through the entrance hall towards the reception and told that he had a reservation under the name of 'Malfoy'. The women showed him the way to the lounge.

As he arrived at the lounge, he didn't need to search long for the platinum blonde hair of his classmate. He found the young heir sitting in a comfortable and elegant looking chair, in front of which was a small able and another chair, that was obviously for himself. Once Harry arrived at table, Draco greeted his classmate and asked him to have a seat.

"Draco, I wanted to thank you for offering to teach me what I should have learnt as a child. I'm really glad about this! Since you can only learn so much from books. And Severus really doesn't have that much time to teach me everything.", started Harry their conversation, after they ordered their drinks.

"That's no problem at all. You're actually doing me a favor with it. Because while I'm teaching you the old ways and everything else, my mother can't take me from country to country, from mansion to mansion and from ball to ball. I really prefer my summer break without getting harassed by a lot of young, and not so young, high society daughters and their parents, of whom each thinks, that they are destined to be next Lady Malfoy."

Harry snickered to that.

"It isn't funny at all!", huffed Draco.

"Just wait, next year, you'll have the same problem. Because as the heir to an old wizarding pureblood family, you have to be married before your twentieth birthday. And while I'm the heir to the Malfoy family, you are the heir to the Black and the Potter family. Which means, what I have to go through would be nothing compared to you, because you're the future Lord Black. Combine this with you being the Boy-Who-Lived, and you'll wish to be betrothed since birth."

"That sounds absolutely scary. Well, if Dumbledore had his will, Ginny Weasley would have been the future Lady Black-Potter. But as it is, I got a nice little letter from Gringotts, and they'll be getting their deserved letters from Gringotts soon as well. Only that theirs aren't as liberating as mine."

"The Weaslette the future Lady Black-Potter?! You have got to be kidding me! And what letter are you talking about? And what exactly has the headmaster to do with you being engaged to the Weaslette?" Draco looked absolutely shocked.

"Well, it all started with a letter from Gringotts that arrived a few days ago. In this letter, they told me, that I can't my inheritance from Sirius, which was the whole Black family estate, since it is being divided between my surrogate grandfather Albus Dumbledore and my fiancé Ginevra Weasley per instructions. Can you imagine my surprise about that letter?

Especially, since I haven't ever before received a letter from Gringotts, nor did I know that Sirius had a will and that I was named his sole heir. When I wrote them back, that neither would Dumbledore be my surrogate grandfather, nor Ginny Weasley my fiancé, I got another letter from the bank that got a portkey.

Once there, I, together with the vice-director of Gringotts, found out, that I was not only filthy rich and a pureblood with being blood heir to two Hogwarts founders, gifted heir to the third and magical heir to the fourth, including most of my magic and my magical abilities were blocked.

And if that wouldn't have been enough, Dumbledore, whom sent Sirius to Azkaban without a trial, sealed my parent's will, completely went against their last whishes appointed himself as my magical guardian. The power that he not only abused by stealing the money from my inheritense but also taking heirlooms and putting me with my mother's adopted muggle sister's house who hated anything to do with magic. She and her family treated me worse than most would their house elves, giving out chores that would be even too much for adults with the reasoning that I had to earn my keep. Which was a blatant lie, since I owned the house they lived in, my uncles workplace, and, as if that wasn't enough already, they were also paid for taking care of me.

During the ten years I stayed there, I never received a single letter, be it from Gringotts or fanmail and no one ever came to check on me, neither magical nor muggle child services. The first ever letter from Hogwarts that I received was addressed to "the cupboard under the stairs", but no one ever checked, they probably didn't even think anything about it...

Then, muggleborns and muggle raised students got their letters delivered by muggle's post and one of the four head of houses goes to visit them to explain everything. I got owl post, and since my uncle enjoyed destroying my letters, there arrived up to twenty letters a day, every single one delivered by owl. I didn't get a visit from a head of house, not even from a regular teacher, but from the groundskeeper. Who, by the way, is absolutely biased against Slytherins and in whose eyes Dumbledore is almighty and without fault. According to him, all Slytherins were bad and all Gryffindor s good. He failed to mentioned, that the one who betrayed my parents, happened to be a Gryffindor. Then, when we arrived at Gringotts, Hagrid was in possession of my key. And after I went to get my robes and meet this snotty blond guy, who speaks all high and mighty about Slytherins, how he wants to blackmail his father and is too busy being a prat that he can't even introduce himself, he seemed to me like my cousin who used to do nothing but bully me around. Just so you know, I felt absolutely horrible that day because I didn't know anything you were talking about. Then that oaf wasn't even capable of letting me know, how I get to the platform. And my aunt didn't talk to me either, but that wasn't really a surprise. And while I'm looking for the right platform, a redheaded family appears and talks loud about muggles and the woman asking her children, which number the platform is."

"Excuse me? Don't they have, like, ten children, or so?"

"No, just seven. Anyway, Mrs. Weasley mysteriously got paid a certain amount of galleons regularly, and said payment started in the summer of '91. The other person receiving money from my vaults starting the same summer, was Ronald Weasley, who wasn't able to find an empty compartment in a train, about five minutes after I went through an almost empty train to find a compartment at the end of the train where I hoped to have a quiet journey. But when he got to where I was, I was apparently in possesiom0n of the inly empty seats in the whole train. Of course, back then, I didn't realize any of this, I was just happy to actually being able to make a friend without my cousin interfeering for the very first time in my life. And then there arrives the same snotty prat I've already met during shopping and insults said friend. Shall I continue or do you get the picture so far?"

"I really was a prat back then, wasn't I? I'm sorry, honestly, but at 'Madame malkin's', I was actually pretty excited to meet you, because you looked like an interesting guy. I really wanted to impress you. And that want didn't get smaller when I got to know, that you actually were The Harry Potter. Because even if my family isn't the lightest, all pureblood children grew up knowing about you. Every single one of us wanted to get to know you. To meet the real you, Harry, and not just the media person, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. But then you befriended the blood traitor, who would have been accepted by most, but when you didn't take my hand, you ruined every possibility to ever be my friend. Would it have been, for example, Goyles hand you refused, it would have been okay, since the Potters are higher in society than the Goyles. But I am the heir to the Malfoy family, who is second only to the Black family and ancient lines like the founders, Merlin, Morgana and the like."

"Okay, I got it. And it actually makes sense, in a snobbish kind of way."

Harry stood up, what earned him a confused look from the Malfoy heir. The confusion on the blondes face got worse once Harry hold out his hand towards him, and vanished by the raven's next words.

"Hello, I'm Harry James Potter." Draco took the offered hand "Nice to meet you, Harry Potter. I am Draco Lucius Malfoy."

After that, Harry sat back down.

"Draco, one question. Let's assume the sorting hat would have put me in Slytherin, how would you all have reacted towards me?"

"If you would have been a snake, I think, we would have asked you, why you have been so rude towards myself. And we probably would have found out the headmaster's scheme a lot sooner."

"Damn! I really should have listened back then. But well, I was a child. Say, Draco, would it be possible to arrange a meeting with the important people of your house and myself? I 'd really like to apologize to everyone in person and also explain my situation to them, before I start my new school life in the snake pit, come September."

"Why do you think that you'll be with me in Slytherin next year? You, the Gryffindor Golden Boy, the epitome of the house of lions?"

"Perhaps, because the hat told me back in first year that I would do great in Slytherin...? And what might also be a point in that direction is, that every single time I see the blasted piece of leather, every time he sees me without a teacher or student in hearing distance, wants me to put it on so I can get sorted into 'my rightful house'."

Draco was speechless, he really didn't know what to say. When he got his voice back, he answered, "of course is it possible to arrange a meeting with Slytherin house. Would you like it in the next two weeks or after you know more about the trials!?"

"I would prefer it after the trials, thank you. Then I would have all important meetings close together."

"What other meetings do you have? Just asking, you don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."

"No, I can tell you. You just have to promise not to tell anyone until I tell you otherwise."

"Sure thing, I won't tell anything."

"Well, Severus arranges a meeting with Voldemort for me."

"Why do you want to meet with him? Don't you want to see him dead, kill him, even?"

"I actually have still to decide. Because I myself haven't chosen a side of the war so far. I was told, that I have to kill him, I was told, that I, a small boy, have to save a whole wizarding world, with aurors, hitwizards and the like, to save! I, a muggle raised, untrained child was yold that it was my responsibility to protect everyone. And I was told that by the same person, who steals from an orphan, who puts said orphan into an abusive home, who pays people, so that said orphan has the right friends who report every single breath to the headmaster. And said wizarding world expects to be saved by a child, whom they belittle that child in the news paper. Whom they call a liar. From whom they shy away if there's just the smallest detail that doesn't fit in their perfect picture of their savior. Remember second year?"

"Okay, Harry, I got it. So, you want to meet with the Dark Lord to find out, what he wants with the whole war and what his reasons and goals are?"

Harry nodded.

"And what do you do when you can't agree with his ideas?"

"That's easy. I would declare myself neutral publicly. And if I can't live my life here in quiet, I'll move, probably to America. The Salem Institute of Magic over there is said to be even better than Hogwarts. "

"Yes, that makes sense. And I'd guess, you wouldn't be the only one to transfers should it come to that, Now, what do you think, are you up for some lesson planning?"

The two guys spent the rest of their afternoon planning Harry's lessons, talking about possible outcomes of the trials and about school boy stuff like quidditch, their teacher and other students.

Harry also tells Draco everything about his adventures so far, and Draco agrees with him, that some things really got initiated by Dumbledore, or that Dumbledore at least could have stopped thembefore Harry had to every single year.

All in all, both were contend with everything they achieved that afternoon.


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

The day after both meetings the first at the ministry and the second the 'Four Seasons' Harry and Severus spent the day talking and getting to know each other. They also found out, after Harry mentioned, how excited he used to be about potions before his first lesson, that Harry lacked the basic knowledge about prior preparation needed for potions. As he wasn't told by anyone and didn't get the prep-course that muggle borns and muggle raised do, he had no idea why the way you chopped or sliced an ingredient and the way how you stirred a potion in the making influences the way a potion turns out.

After this discovery, they agreed, that Severus would tutor his godson in potions, starting with the material of the very first lesson and go from there... This way, Harry might perhaps be able to retake his potions O.W.L.s at the ministry and score better than ...

While they were talking about potions, they also started talking about all the subjects at school, they also talked about Harry's electives and why he choose those. When Severus got to know that they were only chosen those because he had no idea what to do after school and just took what Ron did, he wanted to know from his godson, how his electives were going to be of use to him later in his life. For the next day it seemed like nothing was planned so both Harry and Severus took it easy and got to know another.

It was better than the day before which turned out more hectic due to the two meetings the first at the ministry and the second the 'Four Seasons'. The main topics that they discussed during their day off were the classes within Hogwarts.

Once Harry mentioned his excitement over the first potions lesson and then described his disappoints due to lack of basic knowledge not aviable for Harry specifically. When Severus asked for clarification since he wanted to correct that for any future students, Harry explained the lack of material provided since instead of a professor giving a curtsey visit with muggle born and muggle raised, it was Hagrid with no real school information except for the acceptance letter.

Since Harry didn't know what prepare he was absence of the prep-course he had no idea why the way you chopped or sliced an ingredient made different since while cooking as his prior experience it honestly never mattered how the ingredients are sliced just if they are about the size that it is need. Similarly he was clueless regarding the stiring methods involved in potions. Once getting the clear view Severus asked Harry if he wanted to get extra lessons this summer as to improve his potion's knowledge as well as the possibility of retaking his potion's owl in the ministry. Harry was ecstatic and readily agreed.

This lead to another slots of questions like why did he specific picked some courses as his electives especially courses like divination when he clearly hates anything to do with prophecies or fate. Harry's answer was rudimentary; he did it because Ron did and asked. Similar questions were posed when asked how these specific electives helped him futher in life, and Severus main question what would his godson would like to be once he graduated from Hogwarts.

Confronted with this question, Harry finally started thinking about his future even more about his past, what would he like to do after graduation. He started to realize, that the only thing he was sure about was that he really didn't want to be an auror. And he started wondering why up until now he almost felt obliged to be become an auror like it was his duty or way of life. When he voiced this realization to Severus, his godfather seemed to got angry. He summoned parchment, quill and ink and wrote it down.

When Harry asked why he did that and why he was he so mad in the first place, he answered: "I got angry, because your realization showed another of the old fool's manipulations, as he must have put you under a compulsion to want to become an auror. And why I wrote it down, was simple, it was so we can inform Bardook about this. It will only help him further for the trials.

"So, what you're saying, is, that he made me do things?"

"Yes, sadly, that exactly what it looks like. Is there anything else, that you can think of where you felt strongly towards, or also anyone, that you don't anymore and that you also can't explain to yourself, how you could ever feel like that before going into the situation?"

"Well, for one there are my friends Hermione and Ron, but that started already during the last few days at Hogwarts. And the thought of even touching Ginny Weasley is revolting, though it used to be one of my dreams. Otherwise there isn't anything so far. Except, maybe, my complete disregard of learning at Hogwarts, when before even as a elementary student I never spent a day without reading for at least an hour, that wasn't connected to doing homework. But that's it."

"That sounds about the things I expected. And what is about your other friends? Longbottom and the Lovegood girl? Are there also any revolting feelings or the like?"

"No, there aren't. And I would really like to know, if they are with me or not. Because I don't want to loose them, they actually wanted to side with me of their own free will. On another note, Draco is arranging for me to meet with the members of Slytherin house. It will be after the trials, and I'd like to have it after my meeting with Voldemort. Because then I'll hopefully have decided what I'll do in this war. Did you already contact him or not yet?"

"Yes, I wrote to him yesterday and explained a few things, like you discovering the betrayal of Dumbledore and the upcoming trials, so he knows your reason for seeking him out. Now all we can do is wait for his answer."

"Okay, thank you for doing that."

They were interrupted by a tapping on the window, where they saw Hedwig with a letter. Harry went to open the window, letting his owl onside and taking the letter from her. He opened the letter and read it.

"It's from Remus. He asking if he could come over today or tomorrow, he would like to know the full story with both of us present. When would be convenient for you?"

"Today will be fine, sometimes in the afternoon."

"Thank you. I'll tell him to come over around three. Does he know your address?"

"I'm actually not sure. Why don't you tell him that? And please inform him, that he'll have to take an oath to not reveal anything he gets told to anyone who isn't informed already."

"Sure thing."

When he finished the short letter to Remus, he sent it off with Hedwig. Since it was nearly noon by then, they went into the kitchen to prepare lunch. While eating, they discussed, how much they would reveal to Remus in the beginning, before they could see his reactions to their story, which then would influence, how much more they'd reveal to him.

XxXxXx

At five to three, they heard a knock, Severus when to answer it, since it could always be a surprise guest, and they wouldn't want to risk Dumbledore to find out about Harry being here.

"Hello, Lupin. Please, come in. Harry is in the living room."

"Good day to you, too, Severus. And I'm sorry for practically inviting myself into your home."

"That's okay. We probably would have invited you here anyway sometime this summer, unless you decide to oppose us, which we don't expect you to do."

"Moony!", greeted Harry the werewolf happily. "How are you? Come, take a seat."

They all sat back down on the couch and on an armchair.

"I'm okay, cub. And how are you? How do you cope with this whole situation?"

"So far, I'm okay. True, it was a shock. But, since I already started questioning some things that just didn't add up when I looked at them now, I wasn't as surprised as I would have been otherwise. But what do you think about the stuff I wrote you?"

"I was shocked as well. And you only sent me a letter to tell me that you're now living with Severus, and that a letter from Gringotts will explain everything a bit better. But what I don't get, is, why you were so willing to live with Severus and what else happened? And why didn't you write anything more?"

"Well, I didn't write you anymore, because I honestly didn't know, which side you're on. And I found out about too much betrayal in the last few days, than that I could just trust you, because it felt like it was the right thing to do. Sure, you were a close friend of my parents and my godfather, and the last link I have to them, besides money and properties and material stuff, I'm also your last link to them as well, but I just couldn't risk it. And before we tell you anything else, you'll have to swear an oath on your magic, that you won't tell anyone, who isn't in everything, anything we will tell you here and now. Otherwise you won't know anything else but what will be published and you won't see me anymore but a few times. And the oath isn't only for our safety, but also to protect you. Because it will be one that even a Legilimens can't gain this knowledge from your brain. What do you choose?"

Remus sat there thinking. He didn't need long to make a decision.

"You are my cub, Harry. I'll be on your side, no matter what you'll do. ALWAYS. What is the oath you want me to take?"

Severus showed him the parchment where they had written down the oath for Remus to take. Remus took Harry's right hand in his and swore: "I, Remus John Lupin, swear on my magic, to never reveal anything I hear from Harry James Potter and Severus Tobias Snape to anyone else, unless they have prior knowledge of it, or I get the permission of both, Harry James Potter and Severus Tobias Snape, be it through words, spoken or written, gestures or thoughts. This oath will also protect said knowledge from prying eyes in my mind. I also swear, that I, should I never talk with someone else, who's not in the knowledge of said things, to always make sure that there isn't any possibility for a third party to hear anything, be it by spell, physical nearness or other in any other way. This oath cannot be broken by myself but if all involved parties, being of sound mind and body, want it to be broken. So I swear, so mote it be." A royal blue light circled both Harry's and Remus' joined hands and disappeared into their hands.

"So, I took the oath. Could you please tell me now what exactly is going on?"

"Sure thing. Well here goes, it all started at the Ministry of Magic, when Voldemort possessed me when he tried to kill Dumbledore through me. But it wasn't the possession that really started anything, but I it came to me that everything that happened in my life so far, it was, what Voldemort asked me. He asked me, if I was sure, that Dumbledore was everything he seemed to be.

Ever since, I started over thinking everything Dumbledore said or did to me, because I couldn't get rid of the feeling, that there was some truth in what Voldemort asked me. Because normally, if I trust my feelings, I'm right. The only time that I didn't do what my feelings told me, was, when I went to the Ministry to save Sirius. And that was, because he was too important to me than to risk losing him by listening to my feelings. Especially when Kreacher told me on the floo, that Sirius wasn't home. I only remembered the mirror; he got me for Christmas, after we got back. That the whole thing turned out to be a trap, showed me, that my feelings are right.

On the train ride back to London, I realized some things about my 'friends', that already started feeling kind of strange after we got back from the Ministry. For example, I found it absolutely disgusting how Ginny acted like some lovesick puppy and always wanted to be near me, always wanted to be the center of my attention. Or how Hermione always needed to know everything, she asked me the whole way to London, how I feel about losing Sirius, how I feel about going back to the Dursleys, she also seemed to be fussing over me in a way that could only be called annoying, as if she had to make sure, I was okay, as if she were my mother! Or Ron! There can hardly be another person as clueless as him. He is an attention seeking prat. Always asking me to play chess with him, so he could win. Or whenever I got the whole attention from the public or teachers, he was jealous. He also stabbed me in the back more than once, and only came back, when he saw, that I didn't get everything on a golden plate. Forgetting, that he had the one thing I always wanted, the one thing, I would give everything I own to have it. He has a family with parents and siblings who love him.

When I arrived at the Dursleys, I started making a list with things, that didn't add up. For one, Dumbledore let me, a fifteen month old baby, lying outside on a doorstep during the night during the month of November with nothing more than a thin blanket and a letter-"

"WHAT?! Is that man brain dead? You could have frozen to death! You could have been stolen by anyone! What was he thinking?!"

"That were my thoughts about the whole thing as well. Did you also know, that Sirius wasn't sent to Azkaban until the sixth of November? Which is almost a week after I was left at the Dursleys."

"You're saying, the old man wasn't only mental for leaving a child outside in the night, he also practically kidnapped you? This is getting better and better. And I assume I'm right, if I think, that there's even more?"

"Yes, you would be right with your assumption. Did you know, that I got my Hogwarts letter by owl, while all other muggleborn and muggle raised are visited by a head of house, usually Professor McGonagall? I got visited by Hagrid, the groundskeeper, after I got letter after letter after letter, sometimes more than twenty at a time, that I couldn't even read because my aunt amd uncle destroyed every single one, since they didn't want me to know about anything. They even used to tell me, that my parents died in a car crush. Hagrid also took me to Diagon Alley. When we entered the 'Leaky Cauldron', he told anyone, who I was. I was simply overwhelmed, because he didn't tell me before, that I actually was a celebrity.

And after some of the worst twenty minutes of my life, we finally entered the Alley with our first step being Gringotts. Did you know, that Dumbledore had the key for my trust vault? And, of course, Hagrid also fetched the Philosopher's Stone while in the bank with me. And I never got told that the vault I entered on this day, was only my trust vault. I thought that was all money I've got. Hagrid also spent all day telling me how bad Slytherins were, that all evil wizards and witches were former Slytherins. And when he bought Hedwig and told me, she would be my birthday present from himself, he paid for her out of my money. Of course I didn't really think much of it, because I was way too happy about actually receiving a gift for my birthday. He had my money, because the bag was to heavy for me to carry myself, at least in the beginning. And in the end, he gave me my train ticket, without telling me how to get on the platform.

That's about how far I got before dinner, and afterwards, I got this letter from Gringotts." Harry showed the shocked werewolf the first ever letter he got from the wizarding bank.

"I can't believe it! And from the way you talked about Ron and Hermione before, I guess, they were in on the whole thing? And were there even more involved?"

Remus was fuming and had trouble to keep Moony down. The wolf inside of him was beyond angry about what had happened to his cub!

"Well, for one, my mother was a pureblood and adopted by the Evans', meaning, the whole blood protection I was suppossed to have at the Dursleys was utter bull shit. The Dursleys also got a monthly payment of a thousand Galleons out of my vaults, which, after my eleventh birthday changed to only be paid during the summer holidays, and I actually own the house they used to live in.

There were also several transactions, that moved money from my vault into the Weasley family vault ever since around my tenth birthday. Those transactions were made every month, with the double amount around the times I actually spent at the Burrow. The rest of the six to seven thousand Galleons, that got taken every month, went into Dumbledore's own vault. They took all that money out of my trust vault, which was made to be refilled to a certain amount once every year. And they probably only didn't take more, because it isn't possible to access the main vaults without the family ring."

"Those money-hungry assholes! And what did you agree about with the goblins about this? Because as far as I know, goblins hate almost nothing more than theft."

"So far, Vernon and Petunia Dursley got arrested for child neglect, child abuse and theft, while Dudley got sent into an orphanage, until his aunt Marge would be able to take care of him, though she, herself also is faced with a complain to the police about child abuse for sic-ing her dogs on me every time she visited the Dursleys. Also, I'm selling the house and all of their stuff, the money I get from selling everything, excluding the house, of course, it will be used to pay my compensation, and they'll have to pay me the rest with the highest possible interest. The money they got paid by Dumbledore will be taken out of his vault, as Gringotts can't take money out of a muggle bank account and it was Dumbledore who actually gave them the money in the first place.

As for the Weasley, their whole account will be seized and I now own the Burrow, though I don't know yet what I'll do about it. I wait until after the trials with my decision, as I hope to learn which of the Weasley family were in on the whole thing. Since it seemed at the moment it was only Mrs. Weasley and the two youngest that truly betrayed me, I don't want the rest to lose their home. The ones of the family, that were accepting the money willingly, will also have to pay me back the rest of their debt with the same interest as the Dursleys. The rest of the stolen money got taken out of Dumbledore's vault, which after the returned money will be quite empty. Of course, all the money won't be taken until the day of the trials, because in this case they can't be forewarned about me knowing something."

"That sounds awful for them, especially if Arthur and/or some of the boys aren't involved in the whole thing. But what exactly are those trials you keep talking about?"

"Well, I have a goblin lawyer and the trials will also be goblin trials. I choose a goblin lawyer, because with a goblin I can trust that he'll work in my interest and won't be bribed by anyone, be it Dumbledore or someone else. Plus, there won't be the risk about anything leaking to the press before Severus and I gave our okay for it. Bardook, my lawyer, is also the account manager of the Black vaults, meaning, he has a personal interest in seeing them pay.

And the goblin trials are possible, because Gringotts is involved with the whole money theft. I choose the goblin trials, because they are three times worse than wizarding trials. Some of the charges against Dumbledore are the withholding of my parents' will, the theft of my money, the spells and potions he used on me, the abuse I was put through because of him, Bardook also checks if he is responsible that child services never checked on me, as they should, and he also is checking, if Dumbledore was behind the abuse I suffered at the Dursleys. He is also charged for leaving me outside on my aunt's doorstep and for kidnapping me from my godfather, and putting said godfather into prison without trial, even though he, himself, was the one to cast the Fidelius on my parents' house and knew that Sirius was innocent all along. Dumbledore is also charged for keeping Sirius imprisoned at Grimmauld Place, because that's what he dis by forbidding him to leave the house and so on.

The Weasley women are so far charged with theft, we'll find out if there is anything else. And as they will all be questioned under Veritaserum and a truth spell combined, they will tell the truth. Bardook is also looking into pardoning Sirius post mortem. If you could give us your memories about the evening in the Shrieking Shack, we'd be very grateful, as it would support my own memories from that time. Oh, and there is the whole thing about the headmaster ordering, or, more like it, threatening, Severus, to treat me like scum."

"Well, that sounds like there are going to be some very interesting trials. I hope I can come to watch how your lawyer will destroy them?"

"Of course, you can. You could actually come to our next appointment with Bardook, Let me just have to inform him about your coming. Would you like to come?" "If it is okay with your lawyer, yes, I'd like to go with you. Is there anything else I should know now, or can we enjoy ourselves for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Well, there is. Severus wrote to Voldemort for me, because I want to meet with him to talk, as I never heard about his interests for this war, I only ever heard from Dumbledore or his people. And I want to decide by myself which side of the war I want to be on or if I want to be neutral. Then the fact, that my parents died protecting me, doesn't say, that I have to be light. Especially as they wrote in their will that Dumbledore only wants to use me.

Who knows, he even might have up the whole prophecy stuff and made Trelawney say it at the Hog's Head. Because, honestly, who has a job interview for a teaching spot at a bar, when there is a whole castle full of classrooms, offices and the like? And I'll get a resort as well, as I was heavily influenced by everything I got told before the sorting and, because of this, I asked the hat to not sort me into Slytherin. I've already arranged with Draco, with whom I started over yesterday, to meet the members of Slytherin house during the holidays, so we can all get to know each other before school starts again."

"Cub, I already told you, I'll be with you, no matter what. And if it means to become a supporter of Voldemort, so be it. But I'll probably never take the Dark Mark. For one, I don't want to be a Death Eater, and like that I can also be a spy for you. As for changing into Slytherin, this will probably be best for you, as it will also show you, who your true friends are, because for them, your house won't matter."

"Lupin, to be honest, I didn't expect this reaction from you. I expected something more like you wanting to stay neutral, not going all the way to be dark."

"Well, Severus, I am a werewolf, after all. And werewolves are naturally dark. The only reasons for me to be light were my friends and my cub, which made up my pack in the same time. And as my cub decided to go dark or at least neutral, there's nothing left for me with the light."

Severus nodded in understanding and Harry was happy that Remus was behind him, no matter what. Harry also understood, why Remus didn't want to be a Death Eater, as he didn't want to be one himself.

He wanted to be either Voldemort's equal, a dark supporter or neutral, because the light lost him, the moment they decided to use him just like a weapon, be it through theft or just for slandering his name whenever they felt like it, and still expecting him to fight for them and save them all, even though, they all own a wand themselves and are more that capable of using it. Relying on a half trained wizard verses several trained adults was not only madness but showed the length of betrayal that so called light could be faisned towards after all.


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys~
> 
> This is the last chapter I have writen so far...  
> And my thanks go to my beta Elsa Shawcross, for whom this chapter was her first work as a beta~
> 
> Enjoy reading~♡
> 
> R&R!

CHAPTER 15

The day after Moony's visit was spent with the first potions revision, as well as some revisions in Harry's other classes, also starting with first year. They also started planning what they'd like to do during the holidays and ended up with ideas like some days on a beach or a day in an adventure park. Severus also told his godson that he should think about some ideas for his sixteenth birthday, as they'll celebrate Harry's first real birthday party since his first birthday. The first planning session for the party would be the next day after the appointment at Gringotts, so that Moony could be included. All in all they spent their first relaxing day since the start of the summer break.

xXxXx

At five minutes to ten the next morning, Severus and Harry met Moony in the entrance hall of Gringotts for their ten o'clock appointment with Bardook. In the office, Harry introduced Moony to the lawyer then proceeded to tell Bardook afterwards everything that had happened in his childhood and during the last five years at Hogwarts with every detail he can think of, assisted by his godfather and honorary godfather. For the first time, the lawyer got to know what Harry had learnt from his meeting with Draco Malfoy.  
The four of them double-checked that they have all evidence available as well as every witness possible. While they went over their witnesses, they added Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and even included Arabella Figg to their already existing list consisting of the four youngest Weasley sons along with their father, and Hermione.

Bardook told Harry and his companions that the letters would be released the same day, so the trial could be held a week later. When Severus asked the lawyer why there was only such a short time between the letters being sent and the trials, also asking why they didn't arrest the defendants but instead just sent them letters, the answer given to him was that the recipients of the letters have to sign a formulary that they got the letter within the course of three days with blood or get publically arrested, and that formulary seconded as a binding contract to appear to court on time. Otherwise, they would be convicted in absence without a chance to defend themselves.

All three men liked this answer. Especially when they got to know that the witnesses have to do the same process, except that they would be sentenced for a day in goblin prison for every minute of tardiness.

Happy with the arrangements made, Severus, Remus and Harry had left to eat a nice lunch in an upper-class Italian restaurant in the Muggle area of London, Bardook declining the invitation to come along.

xXxXx

*~* Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, headmasters office *~* 

The headmaster of Hogwarts, one Albus Brian Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, was angry beyond reason over a young boy he sees as merely his pawn; the reason was that the said pawn had actually realized that there was more between his ears than just some straw. No, he realized that he had a brain, and, on top of that, he actually started using it!

'How dare he, he thought, He is nothing but my pawn! He isn't allowed to use his brain... Miss Granger was supposed to make him completely dependent on her about not thinking more than what was needed to pass the school curriculum; she didn't watch him enough, which could be proven with his Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.s score being higher than hers. In fact, the prat actually got the highest score ever in that subject since the start of the new exam system that started three hundred years ago! He shouldn't be able to defend himself… that just won't do it! … And not only did that prat started thinking himself, no. He had also let the Dursleys be arrested for child abuse and such other nonsense.

It really was ridiculous', he had pondered. 'Because, honestly, a slap on the rear or over the head, or even going to bed without dinner from time to time were normal punishments while raising a child. And it was normal in a household with more than a single person living there, that every member has to do some chores. The housewife, after all, wasn't by any means the slave of her family!

And about neglect…', he continued his thoughts, while they might not be the most loving family towards their nephew, he had his own room with a bed in their house, he got fed and he got dressed, so there really wasn't any form of neglect in there. And, after all, there were no rules on how big his room was; he just needed a bed and a place to put his belongings, and there also wasn't a rule about how much calories they had to provide for the charge. Only, that he has to be fed so he won't be starving. And clothes really didn't have to be of the newest and most expensive; they had to cover him and keep him warm, that's all!'

The headmaster had been further enraged when he received statements from the Wizarding bank. For one, the bank statements of the prat's vaults were missing, for another, his monthly transfers from the Potter's main vault weren't done. This just wasn't how it was done! He needed that prat's money, so he could pay the youngest Weasley boy and the Granger girl to spy on Potter, and also to pay the Weasley women for brewing and administering love potions for the prat to fall for the Weasley girl, so they could marry, create a new Potter spawn and, after his new pawn would be born, his father would either get killed or receive a one-way ticket to the absolutely stunning holiday island Azkaban, where he'll get a loving good-bye kiss after about five years, but the shorter the time, the better. And he, Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore, would get half of the Potter's gold, as well as everything else the boy owned, including Death's Invisibility Cloak.

While greedily thinking about his future riches, he realized that there wasn't any mentioned about the Black fortune and titles in the whole letter. But he just assumed that it was a mistake of those disgusting half-breeds and he'll get the papers in the near future. After all, he wouldn't need the official documents until the meeting of the Wizengamot in August, to pass the bill that would forbid it for werewolves and other half-breeds to receive medical treatment, be it at St. Mungo's or by a private Healer. Every Healer, who would treat one of those filthy things, would receive a warning on the first offence, a week's suspension on the second, and then suspension for a month for a third offence. Further insubordination to the bill would result in relinquishing their Healer allowance and were never ever again allowed to work in any job related to Healing, be it as a Mediwitch/-wizard or a Potions Master; they weren't even allowed to clean the floors in a medical ward.

While the headmaster was still thinking about his Gringotts mail and the new bill, an owl arrived with a letter with the seal of the bank. Here come the papers from the Black estates, the old man thought merrily.

His good mood was soon destroyed when he read the contents on said parchment.

*Dear Mr. Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore:

You are hereby informed of your status as a defendant in the goblin trial on the 15th of July at Gringotts Wizarding bank in London, Great Britain. 

The charges are as follows:  
\- child abduction, in one case  
\- illegal sealing/withholding of wills, in two cases  
\- theft of a war orphan's money, in one case  
\- child neglect, in one case  
\- child abuse through a third party, in one case  
\- knowingly imprisonment of an innocent, in one case  
\- bribery, so far in two cases  
\- illegal applying of blocks on the magical core and several magical abilities on a minor, in one case  
\- illegal application of potions and charms on a minor, in one case  
\- attempted theft of a Lordship, so far in one case  
\- attempted theft of the estate of a Most Ancient and Noble House, in one case  
\- tampering with the mail of a minor, in one case  
\- illegal self-appointment as guardian of a magical minor, in one case  
\- breach of guardianship, in one case  
\- endangerment of Goblin-Wizarding relations, so far in one case  
\- abuse of seats in the Wizengamot, so far in one case  
\- endangering of minors in your care, in multiple cases

Please add a drop of your blood on the attributive parchment to confirm that you've read the letter in the next three days until the 11th of July. Otherwise you'll be brought in to await your trial with us by our loyal warriors, and this arrest will be public. Also, by signing with your blood, you agree, that should you not arrive on time for your trial, you'll be convicted in absence of every crime you are charged with. And hiding won't help you, as we'll hunt you down no matter where you go. 

Yours sincerely, 

Bardook  
Lawyer, Gringotts London Branch*

Saying Dumbledore was shocked and angry really didn't describe the emotions he was currently feeling.

He couldn't believe that that stupid prat would be this cunning. After all, he was a hot-headed Gryffindor, and not just a 08/15 member, but one who showed everyone else, what being a Gryffindor was actually about. There was no way that boy had even a tiny bit of Slytherin in him. Someone else must have put the prat up to actually check his bank statements.

The headmaster cursed, whoever this unknown person was, to the seven layers of hell, because they not only uncovered his illegal activities, but also told him to get a lawyer, and it couldn't have been any lawyer, no, it had to be a goblin and the best on top of that. And Dumbledore also knew just too well, that goblin trials were much worse than Wizarding trials, especially since he didn't have a single man of his on the board of the jury. Meaning, there was no way he could influence his verdict.

After the old man was over the first shock, he started wondering if he was the only person to get such a letter, or if there were others who received something similar. He wouldn't have to wait long for an answer to this question.

*~* The Burrow, the kitchen*~* 

For once, almost the whole Weasley family, except the two eldest sons, who were abroad, sat around the kitchen table to start with a delicious lunch cooked by the two women of the house.

Percy Weasley made peace with his family after the Ministry acknowledged the return of Voldemort, even though he wasn't exactly happy about what was going on in said family. The twins were back in their parents' house for the first time since they moved to London to live in their flat over their store, which they were preparing for the grand opening at the end of the month. Ron had just woken up, it was a school break, after all, therefore he didn't get out of bed before half past eleven, and Arthur was home for lunch, as it was less expensive to use the Floo Network to go home every day than to eat at work, plus, he really didn't want to miss the first meal his youngest daughter cooked almost by herself, with her mother only assisting her.

When everyone was seated and the food was served, they started eating.

"Congrats, Ginny-"  
"-this food is just absolutely-"  
"-unbelievable-"  
"-incredible-"  
"-delicious!"  
"But, pray tell, -"  
"-why are you suddenly-"  
"-interested in cooking food, -"  
"-when you never were before?"  
"We mean,-"  
"-you absolutely loathed -"  
"-helping mum in the kitchen, be it-"  
"-cooking, -"  
"-doing the dishes-"  
"-or even preparing-"  
"-the table?"

"Well, you see, I have to be able to cook some stuff for my fiancé, and we all know how much he loves mums food, therefore I'm learning it from her."

"And who, -"  
"-pray tell, -"  
"-would be-"  
"-said fiancé? "

"Harry, of course! Or whom else in our age do you know, that loves mum's cooking, is male and not my brother?"

"And does our-"  
"-dear little brother-"  
"-Harrykins know-"  
"-that he is your-"  
"-fiancé? Because-"  
"-last time we talked-"  
"-with him, he didn't-"  
"-mention anything about-"  
"-you being betrothed to-"  
"-him. He didn't even hint-"  
"-that he'd be interested-"  
"-in you. He talked about-"  
"-someone, yes, but-"  
"-that just couldn't have been-"  
"-you, because you, for-"  
"-one have red hair, which-"  
"-the person, he's interested-"  
"-in doesn't have."

"Fred, George! Don't talk like you would know anything about stuff like this. You only have jokes and your stupid shop, where I still don't know how you get the money for it, but you don't know anything about love. Harry will propose to my dear Ginny before the next summer. And that's final!"

The twins looked at each other, neither wanted to believe what they heard. Because they knew that Harry was gay, and that he only spoke with Ginny to be polite, as he loathed her fangirling. They really needed to write to their little brother and financial banker a letter and inform him of the plots against him.

While Mrs. Weasley was comforting her baby girl, who was devastated after the twins told them that her fiancé was interested in someone else, seven owls, each with a letter from Gringotts, had flown through the open kitchen window. Each owl dropped a letter in front of a family member.  
Everyone stared bewildered at the letters until Mr. Weasley broke the silence: "Does anyone of you have any idea, why Gringotts would send a letter to each one of us?"

When he only got negative answers, he motioned for his family to open the letters. Ginny was the first to open the letter, since she was still waiting for the confirmation about her part of the Black estates. Her hopes crashed once she had started reading the letter.

*Dear Ms. Ginevra Molly Weasley:

You are hereby informed of your status as a defendant in the goblin trial on the 15th of July at Gringotts wizarding bank in London, Great Britain. 

The charges are as followed:  
\- theft of a war orphan's money, in one case  
\- endangerment of Goblin-Wizarding relations, in one case  
\- attempted theft of the estate of a Most Ancient and Noble House, in one case 

Please add a drop of your blood on the attributive parchment to confirm that you've read the letter in the next three days until the 11th of July. Otherwise you'll be brought in to await your trial with us by our loyal warriors, and this arrest will be public. Also, by signing with your blood, you agree, that should you not arrive on time for your trial, you'll be convicted in absence of every crime you are charged with. And hiding won't help you, as we'll hunt you down no matter where you go. 

Yours sincerely 

Bardook  
Lawyer, Gringotts London Branch*

The teenage girl blanched, but no one had realized that, since everyone was busy reading their own letter.

Mrs. Weasley's letter contained almost the same than the one of her daughter, except that she was only charged with theft of a war orphan's money, in one case.

The letters the rest of the family got were of a different sort. Mr. Weasley's letter read:

*Dear Mr. Arthur Weasley:

You are hereby informed your status as a witness in the goblin trial on the 15th of July at Gringotts Wizarding bank in London, Great Britain. 

The defendants, so far, are:  
\- Albus Brian Wulfric Percival Dumbledore  
\- Molly Weasley  
\- Ginevra Molly Weasley 

The major charges are:  
\- theft of a war orphan's money, in all three cases  
\- attempted theft of the estate of a Most Ancient and Noble House, in two cases  
\- endangerment of Goblin-Wizarding relations, in two cases  
\- kidnapping, in one case  
\- child neglect, in one case  
\- child abuse through a third party, in one case  
\- bribery  
\- applying illegal blocks on the magical core and several magical abilities on a minor, in one case  
\- illegal application of potions and charms on a minor, in one case 

This is just to name a few, though there are more charges, and it also might be possible, that we'll discover some more defendants during the trials. 

Please add a drop of your blood on the attributive parchment to confirm that you've read the letter in the next three days until the 11th of July. Otherwise you'll be brought in to await your trial with us by our loyal warriors, and this arrest will be public. Also, by signing with your blood, you agree, that should you not arrive on time for your trial, you'll be convicted in absence of every crime you are charged with. And hiding won't help you, as we'll hunt you down no matter where you go. .

Yours sincerely,

Bardook  
Lawyer, Gringotts London Branch*

Around the kitchen table sat five more or less angry Weasley men and two female red heads that tried to be as calm as possible, since they knew they couldn't get up and flee from the angry men.

Mr. Weasley got up, took a sharp, pointed knife from a drawer and held it towards his wife.

"We will all sign the parchment right away, and you two start," Mr. Weasley said angrily, "When we're done, I want to read both your letters and then, we all want an explanation from the both of you, what this is all about!"

Hesitantly, Mrs. Weasley took the knife from her husband, pierced it against her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the parchment, which glowed red and disappeared. Afterwards, she gave the knife to her daughter, who repeated the whole process, and so on, until all parchments had glowed red and vanished. Mr. Weasley stared at his wife's letter and was disappointed that she was charged with theft. Didn't he work hard and long enough so they should have enough money to live? Sure, they didn't have the money to buy everything they wanted or always the newest clothes, books or brooms for their children. But, so far, every child of them had acceptable clothes and books for school and every child who got onto the Quidditch house team got a new broom, even though it wasn't top-of-the-line, as long as it was a decently functional broom.

He was wondering, who the war orphan they stole from was, and sincerely hoped, that it wasn't Harry Potter, though he knew, though that hope was small, as he was the only war orphan he knew of, who was incredibly rich and didn't have a living family member who had control of his vaults. His anger exacerbated while reading the letter his daughter received. For her, theft apparently wasn't enough, no; she also tried to steal the estate of a Most Ancient and Noble House and also endangered the Goblin-Wizarding relations, which both were crimes of the worst sort. The only crime worse than that was lineage theft. And if his suspicions about the victim of the theft were proven to be true, the mentioned estate could actually be the one of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, and, if the conversation before the arrival of the letters was any indication, his wife and daughter actually planned the theft down the road as well. He just couldn't believe it. And he had to know if he was right or not.

"Molly, Ginny, how, exactly did you think it okay to steal from a war orphan no less?" he asked nervously, "And who exactly is this war orphan you took money from? And I want you to tell me the truth, because I'll find out if you lie, latest at the trial."

Mrs. Weasley fidgeted before she answered, "Arthur, you know exactly how bad our state is with our lack of money. I just wanted to help so we could also buy our children something from time to time. And the child would never miss a couple of thousand galleons, as there are millions in those vaults!"

"That gives you no right to take that money! And if it was this bad with our financial status, you should have told me! We would have found a solution somehow together. You always could have taken on a job, now that all the children are out of the house for most of the time. It would have helped us much more than thievery. Now, you'll have to pay every single Knut back, probably with interest, and if you have some bad luck, you'll spend some time in prison, and since it is a goblin trial, it will be in a goblin prison. And believe me, Azkaban is a five star hotel compared to those prisons. And I dearly hope the orphan you stole from isn't whom I think it is, otherwise there will be even more consequences for you two and everyone else of this family who is, in any way, involved in this whole thing. Now tell me, who is it you stole from?"

"Harry Potter", whispered Mrs. Weasley so silently that they almost didn't hear it.

"That's what I feared. You actually stole money from an honorary Weasley son. What did you think? Or did you even think at all? Because it doesn't seem like it, but just be warned: depending on what comes out on the trial next week, you might have to look to find some one of the Prewett family, preferably the actual head or the heir, and beg them to take you and all your children involved in this back into their family. Because a family sticks together! They don't steal from each other, but they help. And I bet you, that if we'd only had the choice between ending up on the streets, or overcoming our pride and just asking Harry for help, he would have given it to us. Not that I'll ever do it, but that would the boy, I know and love like a son, do for us.

"And now to you, Ginevra, am I right by thinking the estate of the Most Ancient and Noble House written in your letter they are talking about is Harry's inheritance from Sirius Black? The attempted theft of an estate such as the Blacks' would definitely be an endangerment to the relations between goblins and wizards, because, if the estate of the Most Ancient and Noble House isn't safe anymore at Gringotts, what more others?"

The ashamed expression on his daughter's face was all the answer he needed.

"Well, Ginevra, you have until the trial to come and tell me everything, and I mean everything. Who gave you the idea to steal the money, to try and steal a whole estate, as well as any future plans of thievery, because, with these revelations, I am growing suspicions about the plans behind Harry becoming your fiancé that will happen within the next year. If I find out that you left something out, this will be the last time that you'll be considered a Weasley."

"The same goes for you, Molly. If any one of you boys is in one way or another involved in this scheme, I want to know until the day before the trial, so I can inform Harry's lawyer of the news. And don't worry, we'll eventually know all! Because in a goblin trial, every defendant and every victim will be questioned about their knowledge of the charges as well as their relationship to the victim and the defendants under a truth potion like Veritaserum, only goblin made, therefore it will be foolproof against all the tricks wizards thought of to lie under Veritaserum."

It was a very subdued mood where the Weasley family had finished eating their lunch.

During the meal, the twins shot angry looks towards their mother and sister and some suspicious ones towards their youngest brother, because he, for being Harry's best friend, has been too quiet when everything came out, especially since he was normally quite loud when he found something to be wrong.

But they would get behind this anomaly, which the two pranksters were sure of.


	17. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: heey guys~
> 
> Here'sthe new chapter for you, right for the end of the year~
> 
> If you're especially lucky, you'll getthe next chapter for new years...^^ but that depends completely on Elsa Shawcross, my beta~
> 
> Enjoy and R&R, please~ :3

CHAPTER 16

The week from their last appointment with Bardook and the Goblin trials was mostly spent with studying, on Harry's part, a lot of talks between Severus, Remus and Harry, as well as letters being exchanged between Severus' two godsons, and also two one-day city trips to Edinburgh and Dublin, respectively.

The main reason for the city trips was that Harry needed to see new places, as he hasn't been anywhere else but Surrey, Diagon Alley, King's Cross station, Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

Severus and Remus were absolutely delighted to see such a carefree and happy expression on Harry's face whenever he saw something new or discovered something he always wanted to see but didn't have the opportunity; one such place was the official shop of the 'Edinburgh Tattoo' where they spent almost two hours and a large amount of money. Once they had left the shop, they also bought a Muggle stereo they intended to charm in running on magic once they were back at Spinner's End.

xXxXx

However, not everyone spent this week as carefree and enjoyable as the three males, especially not a redheaded family living near Ottery St. Catchpole, who had a visitor over for dinner: A certain older man with a long white beard who wore tasteless robes with clashing colours and sujets (beta: I didn't get this?) on it. The happy picture made by the colourful robes also wasn't mirrored on the man's face, and especially not in his, usually twinkling, blue eyes. There were mixed emotions among the people sitting around the kitchen table full of delicious, home-cooked meals.

The patriarch of the family still couldn't get his head around the fact, that the two females of his family have been summoned to appear before court, and one of the Goblins on top of that. And the man who was, at least in a way, responsible for the whole mess was sitting on his table in his house, as he wanted to talk strategy with them to be prepared for the trials two days later.

The three oldest sons were absent as they had to work for the whole week to get the day of the trials off to support their father. They will be back at the Burrow the evening before they had to go to court. The twins, who were closest to Harry, whom they thought of as their favourite younger brother, were staying this week at the Burrow for two reasons only: One, they wanted to morally support their father by being there for him - they closed the shop for the time being out of personal reasons - and two, they wanted to non-stop prank those that hurt their little brother, mainly the woman who gave birth to them - she wasn't their mother anymore - and the girl, until the letters from Bardook arrived, they saw as their little sister. But Ron, the supposed best friend of their little Harrykins, who didn't care one bit about what the Weasley women did to him, didn't go off unscathed.

So far, they charmed Molly's pots and pans so she couldn't cook without getting burned at least five times per half hour cooking, they also made it so the kitchen would never be clean, so she had to spend a vast number of hours a day only cleaning the kitchen. She was so busy trying to cook without getting burned, making new burn salves and cleaning the kitchen, that she didn't find the time to clean anything else in and around the house or to do the laundry, which then will end with Ron, Ginny and her having no clean clothes to wear for the trials. To prevent themselves and their father to get a victim of their prank as well, they had their father give them his dirty laundry, which they then took to their apartment over their shop to clean it.

Ron had so far, had his hair colour change to Slytherin green, combined with silver skin colour, neon pink with not-matching sickly green skin colour, turquoise hair with skin the colour of vomit. Today, he sat on the table with silver hair and Slytherin green skin, as they charmed him to wear the colours reversed after the initial four colour combinations. The coloured hair and skin wasn't all Ron had to endure, no, the way he looked didn't bother him that much, as he had a much worse problem. The prank tormenting him was a curse that made everything he ate taste like ash. No matter what it was, it always tasted just horrible. And as if not being able to eat wasn't enough, he also wasn't able to take any liquid to himself, as it always tasted what he thought, piss tasted like.

And last but not least, there was Ginny, who also got pranked mercilessly. Like with the other two, they got her where it hurt the most. She, who was oh so proud of the way she looked, had her hair losing all its lustre and it was, slowly but steadily, falling out. Every morning, she woke to find new bundles of her long red hair on and around her pillows. She also wasn't able to wear anything but the oldest, most smelling robes. Robes, that had been cast off years ago but weren't burned or anything, since one could always wash them and use them, in parts, to clean. The reason for her new style of clothing was that whenever she put on something nice smelling, clean, stainless, her skin started to itch in a way she had to scratch herself until she started bleeding to even feel a small difference. She still showed the signs of it on her arms, as the clothes also stopped any healing potion from working.

But right now, the two pranksters were looking for a way to get back on the old goat. They thought about also cursing him the way they did Ron, so he wouldn't be able to eat or drink anything without it tasting like ash or piss, respectively. But more than anything else, they wanted to humiliate him, take away the one thing he liked most about himself, hit him where it would hurt the most. For Albus -too-many-middle-names-Dumbledore, that would be his image in the public eye, but before they would publically humiliate the headmaster, they will ask Harry what he thought of their idea. For now, they only cursed him as soon as he left the Burrow.

xXxXx

The strategy planning later that evening didn't go over that well, as neither of the defendants was able to find a defense attorney who was willing to work in a Goblin court. This meant that they had to defend themselves on their own without any legal support. After that realization, they started talking back and forth, getting louder by the minute, about what to say and how to behave to get the best possible result. This went on until Arthur interrupted them.

"You both do know that the Goblins use a truth serum ten times as effective as Veritaserum in their trials?" he asked, "And unlike with Veritaserum, there isn't any way around it, not even a month's supply of your Lemon Drops eaten in the hours before the trials will work to render this truth serum ineffective, Albus. And they use that serum on everyone, regardless if one is a defendant or a witness. This is one reason, why no one wants to ever be brought before the Goblin's court."

An awkward silence fell. Both, the always plotting old man and the overbearing woman, had been shocked into silence with this revelation. They realised, that they didn't have any way out of paying for every misdeed they did on one Harry Potter. The thoughts coursing through everyone's minds were sometimes alike, and some differed.

'No, this can't be happening! What if they ask me, if I'm still a virgin? What if mum and dad find out that I slept with guys since the beginning of my third year?'

'I really am curious if our youngest brother was involved in the whole thing in some way or another? Because he really reacted way to calm for someone who just found out that his own mother and little sister were stealing from his best mate. Maybe we will find out, how real the friendship between the members of the Gryffindor Golden Trio really are.'

'There has to be a way to avoid being given this stupid truth serum or to at least render it ineffective! If only Severus would be at the school and hadn't taken some time off! I really can't have them finding out what else I have done. After all, it was all for the greater good. Okay, it might be for my greater good, but that doesn't have to be known by anybody. I have to go back as soon as possible to research this blasted liquid.'

'Unbelievable! They have to defend themselves in front of a Goblin court in two days and didn't read anything on Goblin trials to know what to expect? Did they think they could just sit there, tell the goblins a bunch of lies and be done with it? There is a reason everyone standing trial hopes to never have to appear in front of a goblin jury, for Merlin's sake! I'm wondering the longer the more how I ever fell in love with this dense woman and how I could ever look at Albus as a role model.'

'Bloody hell! Why didn't anyone tell me that the witnesses are also given this bloody truth serum? If Harry ever finds out what I did I will lose any chance to ever getting famous like I will by being the best friend of the Boy-who-lived and helping him defeating You-Know-Who. And if I won't get famous, I'll actually have to work to get a job, like being the keeper of the Chudley Cannons or an Auror.'

'Trying them before a Goblin jury was the best prank Harry could ever pull to get back at those traitors. I think, I will write a letter later tonight to a lovely blonde woman. Because I think, she really should come to the trials with us, as there is no other reporter in Britain that talented in twisting facts and ruining people's reputation. I only need to get her oath to not slander my cute, little brother in her stories about what happened in the court. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!'

xXxXx

*~* Gringotts London Branch, the day of the trials *~*

When Harry, Severus and Remus left Bardook's office to wait in the entry hall for the beginning of the first trial, they were met with an unfamiliar sight. The normally, quite close-knitted Weasley family were separated into two parties.

On one side of the hall were Arthur Weasley and his sons, save his youngest, accompanied by Rita Skeeter, her photographer, all the members of the original 'Golden Team', and some other friends of Harry's, including Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood with her usual dreamy look on her face.

On the other side of the hall were one Albus Dumbledore, the Weasley women and Ron, as well as Hermione, who was holding onto the red head's hand. When asked by the twins about how they could stand with the traitors, they answered: "No matter what they did, they still are my mother and my sister and I stand by my family, unlike some others." and "No matter what, I will stand with my boyfriend. And Mrs. Weasley made a mistake, I can admit that, but everyone is allowed to make mistakes. After all, this is a way for us to learn, by making mistakes!' respectively.

Both answers were surprising for most of Harry's friends and family, as Ron never really was one for knowing how the family actually acted around one another. After all, he used to bully Percy in every way possible once he went to Hogwarts. He also made fun of the twins for dreaming about owning a store to sell their pranks to make a living doing what they loved. Hermione's answer was surprising, as everyone knew how rule loving she was, after all, for the last five years at school she always said that mistakes can't be useful in anyway except getting into trouble and being punished for it. Also, she always told how immature Ron was, and that she would sooner go out with Aragog than Ron Weasley.

As they haven't been seen yet, they all took in the rest of the hall and realised, that there was a third group of people obviously waiting for the trials to start. On a closer look Harry recognized them as his aunt and uncle, accompanied by a prison warden, who, according to the information they got from Bardook, was a Squib and therefore familiar with the magical word and goblins especially. Also, someone - probably a goblin - must have put up some kind of silencing ward around the two Muggles and the Squib, as the couple's nephew could see the tell tales of his uncle being in a very dangerous - for his health, usually - mood, screaming all the time about something. And by the reactions of Petunia and the warden, whoever put up those wards was compassionate, as there had to be some other kind of silencing spell around the Squib.

After realizing that there was no one else there besides them and the three groups, they made their way to the largest group, where the young man got instantly tackled by two identical looking red heads, as well as a burly older teen and three girls.

"Oh Harry, -"

"-our dearest cute-"

"-little brother!"

"We are so incredibly-"

"-sorry that we didn't realize-"

"-what was going on!"

"Well, we did realize,-"

"-that we got something-"

"-new more often once-"

"-we started in our third year,-"

"-but we just thought, that-"

"it either was something mum-"

"-and dad would do with/for-"

"-every one of their children-"

"-once they start their third-"

"-year at Hogwarts."

"The other reason we-"

"-came up with, was, that-"

"-dad had gotten quite a rise-"

"-at the ministry."

"But, please, don't-"

"-let their betrayal take-"

"-you down! Because-"

"-your family and friends stand-"

"-united-"

"-behind you. We all-"

"-care about you, for some,-"

"-you are the one person-"

"-who actually knows them,-"

"-who took the time and made-"

"-a real effort, to get to know them,-"

"-for some, you are the one person,-"

"-who stands behind them in everything-"

"-they do or attempt to do."

"And for the most of them,-"

"-us included,-"

"-you are family! Never forget-"

"-that, little brother!"

"We all care about you and want you-"

"-to be happy. No matter-"

"-whom you decide to date,-"

"-which side you will be on-"

"-once you decide, where you-"

"-stand in this war, and not just-"

"-do, what everyone else-"

"-namely, the Wizarding world,-"

"-expects of you. We will-"

"-ALWAYS-"

"-support you!"

"Thank you, Gred and Forge! You can't imagine what it means to me that all of you are here for me today. But would it be possible for you to let me go for a minute? Because I'd like to talk to your father."

"That is not a problem at all,-"

"-little brother."

Harry then went over to Arthur Weasley. "Hello, Mr. Weasley. Could I have a word with you?"

"Sure thing, Harry. Let's go over there for a little privacy.

Now, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to apologize to you for not telling you ahead of Bardook's letter what was going on. But everything went quite fast, one day, I was on my way back to my relatives, the next I was at Gringotts, and had a goblin not only tell me that I had more than a million times the money I thought of and lots of titles, but also that the people I thought of a grandfatherly mentor, a mother figure and a little sister were stealing from me, from my parent's money that they left me. And if that wouldn't have been enough, they withheld from me not only my parents' wills, but also my entire heritage! Can you imagine, just how many faux pas I made over the years, as everyone was told that I grew up learning everything etiquette-wise, but didn't have any idea something like this even existed? Damn, Draco Malfoy could have called a blood feud over how I refused to accept his hand on our first ride to Hogwarts. And Ron, not knowing anything about etiquette either, didn't have the necessary knowledge to inform me that I made a horrible mistake! I mean, I know, that you don't have a lot of money, but how come he, being a Pureblood, doesn't know anything about our customs and traditions, as well as the main rules of Wizarding etiquette?

Because I know that the twins and Percy know them, or at least the important ones, though not those of the high society. And at least the twins didn't open a book to learn it. I don't know Bill or Charlie good enough to tell, but I could imagine that at least Bill, who works with the goblins, knows etiquette. But on the other hand, Ginny doesn't really know either. Because a pureblood who was raised knowing a minimum of etiquette would know better than to screw with different boys every month, starting with thirteen.

"I am sorry you had to find out now of all times, but I think, your sons were too ashamed of her behaviour, dishonouring her whole family with it, than to tell you and Ron doesn't even realize what is going on with her, though the whole school talks about her. And after showing this lack of etiquette during the last two years, she possesses the audacity to write the goblins, calling herself my fiancée! She even started telling everybody who would listen how I was going to propose to her on her fifteenth birthday and how we are going to wed after she graduates and how we'll live in my parents' house at Godric's Hollow. Merlin, she even tells them how we plan to have two children, a boy and a girl, and that we'll name them James Arthur and Lily Molly, after our parents. And when they ask her why we aren't together, she says that I would be just too shy to ask her out. When she then is confronted about her screwing a different boy every month, she answers that I would know about and agree with her as she would only practise for our wedding night. Can you imagine how close she is to completely ruining me? So far, nothing leaked to the press, though I could imagine it to be Dumbledore's doing. After all, it wouldn't look good, if his little pawn would be involved in a sex scandal about allowing and supporting his supposed fiancé to sleep around, starting at the age of thirteen and not himself, but a different boy almost every time! I am the lord of multiple houses, like Potter, Black, LeFey, Viperian and Cantarel, to only name a few, as well as being the heir to three of the four Hogwarts founders. Having Ginny as my girlfriend alone would, politically, ruin me for five to ten years. You know, I am not one who cares about money or being a lord, but I have responsibilities, if I like them or not. I am always in the public's eye. I can't do much without the papers writing about it. And we are at war. There might come a time, where I have to use my political power, as both, the Boy-who-lived and the lord of sixteen houses, three of them being those of the founders. And I won't risk this by getting in a scandal because of a girl that cannot tell the difference between bedtime stories and reality, because of a girl who might have learned some manners but replaces it for screwing around."

Arthur Weasley was shocked into silence. He had no idea about how his youngest two behaved at school. He taught all his sons the main parts of etiquette, as they probably would never need to know the finer things, but if they wanted to learn those as well, he had happily taught those to his sons, namely Bill and Percy. Charlie was more interested in his dragons and other animals and told him, he wouldn't need the knowledge of finer etiquette around beasts, and the twins were more interested in pranking and thought, they won't need it to sell their pranks, but all three of them agreed, that, should they ever need this knowledge, they would come to their father, so he could help them. Ron, on the other hand, never really was interested in something as 'banal' as etiquette, he thought it unnecessary to know that you have to close your mouth while chewing food, how to hold a fork, as long as he was able to shovel the food from his plate into his mouth. He even thought it was unnecessary to know how one properly greeted other people according to their status in relation to one's own, no, he thought that a simple 'hi' was enough effort of greeting someone, be it a beggar, or a professor, or even the Queen of England. The formal education of Ginny, on the other hand, had been Molly's responsibility, as a man might teach a girl what he learns by watching other women, but the finer details, such as curtseying and other specific things, just needed to be taught from woman to girl.

"I am really sorry, Harry, I had no idea whatsoever, of any of this. I taught all of my sons the basics of etiquette, the finer details if they were willing to learn them. So far, only Bill and Percy took me up on that offer, though Charlie, Fred and George promised, that, should they ever need this knowledge, they'll come to me. Ron, on the other hand, was, as you might imagine, quite difficult to teach, therefore, after trying to get him to understand the simplest things like closing your mouth while chewing, or how to hold your cutlery properly, or also, how to properly greet someone according to status, for more than two years, I just gave up. I got tired of telling him every time we ate or someone came over, or we met someone outside or went for a visit, how he should do it. I just hoped, he would never have to pay a price for missing this knowledge. Ginny's, on the other hand, was Molly's responsibility, because a man can teach his daughter only as much about etiquette for women as he can observe on different occasions. But a woman needs the knowledge of the finer details more than a man, as there are so much more things one has to look after being a woman.

Your example is the best, to clean your record of her sleeping around, you only have to swear a wizards oath in a public place, with you being a students, the Great Hall at dinner time, that you never promised Ginny anything, that you never will promise her anything and that everything, she told around about you knowing and supporting her screwing around, her ever being the mother of your children and everything else she told related to this, was made up by her. Also you, being who you are, you should probably write up a statement to be published in every paper if the country about this things not being true.

This trial here today will help you, especially, as Ms. Skeeter is the reporter. And once this is done, you should repeat those actions, but this time about how you were raised by Muggles, not knowing about the Wizarding world until you got your letter, and that you didn't know of your entire heritage until earlier this summer. Add an apology for everyone you should have unknowingly offended, and everyone should be able to give you a second chance. With that, your political and social standing should be saved until you maneuver yourself into a sticky situation."

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley, for your advice. And just so you know, as long as no one of your family, besides your wife and daughter, was involved, I don't blame you! And I also won't accept it if you want to pay me back what they took. If you feel like using this money otherwise, give it to charities or go travel and visit both your sons that work abroad. Just put the money to good use.

Because, had you ever asked me for money if you didn't know how to pay for food and stuff, I would have given it to you, without wanting anything back. Because, when I arrived at the Burrow before second year, you gave me something you cannot buy with money. You gave me the love of a family. I learnt then, how it would have been if my parents would have still been alive. I might have been a big brother instead of the little brother at least your twins see me as, but it would have, essentially, been the same. Because with my relatives, I just saw the example of terrible parenting. I mean, they praised my cousin even if he did something wrong. He got almost forty presents on his eleventh birthday. He learned no manners what so ever, ate the whole day sugary and or fat things, he is almost as wide as he is tall. At your home, there was praise for doing something, but you got scolded and punished for doing something wrong, and the punishments were almost always according to the misdeed done. The only thing you probably shouldn't have done, or at least not that often, was sending howlers to the school. It's one of the most humiliating things one has to suffer through in a school full of teenagers when everyone hears how your mother scolds you for something. "

Harry wanted to say something else, but Bardook came to the entrance hall to tell them that the first trial was about to start and everyone should follow him inside. Even all the witnesses could be inside from the start, as every single one got tested under the truth serum.


	18. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: heey guys~
> 
> I hope, you all had a good start into the new year~
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter~
> 
> R&R!
> 
> *cuddles*

CHAPTER 17

The morning after the trial, Harry and Severus, together with Remus and Draco were sitting on the table with a nice breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee, and tea as they eagerly await the day's newspaper with the news of the 'Goblin Trial of the Year', as it was already being called.

Their breakfast didn't last long when three owls carrying the newspaper flew in through the open kitchen window. They landed in front of Severus, Remus, and Draco, as Harry didn't usually read the paper. When the owls were paid and had left, they unrolled their newspapers, reading the headline:

"THE-BOY-WHO-WAS-BETRAYED! THE LIGHT THAT ISN'T REALLY LIGHT!

My dear readers, I have quite a story to tell you. It all started two days ago, when I got a letter….

This letter was my lovely self, as well as for a photographer of my choice, invitation to the 'Goblin Trial of the Year'. The ones to invite me were Fred and George Weasley, the owners of 'Weasley' s Wizard Wheezes'. 

My dear readers, I think that you can understand that I was quite sceptic about receiving such a letter from the two best known pranksters since the Marauders, who were quite infamous when I was at Hogwarts, though they had already left school by then. Therefore, I went to their new store in Diagon Alley, to ask them in person if the contents of their letter were real. After they confirmed the truth of it by swearing an oath to me (they didn't want to show me their invitation of appearing as witnesses and also who the defendants were, as they wanted me to be surprised), they showed me around their shop, and I even got to see their lab! It is absolutely incredible what those two come up with! 

Anyway, on with my story... Once I was back, I informed my boss that I would have to need the rest of the afternoon off to read up on goblin trials. What I learned was quite interesting. The most important thing you should know about goblin trials is that, compared to them, a trial in front of the whole Wizengamot in a court room is but a bed of roses. Therefore, whoever gets tried by goblin has to have royally screwed up! This fact let me wondering just whom it was that would get tried the next day.

Yesterday, about half an hour before the start of the trial, I met the twins in front of Gringotts, where it would be held. There I found more people waiting, aside from the twins, as they were accompanied by their parents and their siblings. There were also well-known people like Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Order of Merlin, First class, Hermione Granger, best friend of Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom, and a few other students and adult wizards. There were also three people I have never seen before, dressed like Muggles. But, my dear readers, whom I didn't see was Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived.

The mystery, why he wasn't outside of the bank with his two best friends and the headmaster, got solved once we were inside. We entered about five minutes after our arrival, and instantly, the assembled people divided themselves into three groups; the three unknown I suspected to be Muggles went standing into the corner the farthest from us, and Albus Dumbledore, accompanied by the two Weasley women and Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, whom looked like she was Ronald Weasley's girlfriend, went to the other side of the entrance hall, leaving us standing where we were. 

A few moments later, a goblin lead Harry Potter with Remus Lupin, a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts from 1993-1994, and Severus Snape, Potions master and instructor at Hogwarts. They looked around the room at the three groups of people waiting, and then came over to where we stood to greet everyone. 

Right away, the Boy-Who-Lived got tackled by the red headed twins as well as a few students. Once the others let go of the young man again, the twins promised 'their dearest cute little brother', that they were sorry and that they would stand behind him, no matter whom he decided to be with and, what shocked me quite about, no matter, what side he'll decide to be on. This sounded almost as if Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, was considering about going dark, and I had to ask myself, just what would have had happened to him to actually think about this possibility? What got me thinking even more, was, that the two shop owner also mentioned a betrayal they didn't know, as they would have told him otherwise. 

'Just what exactly is going to happen during this trial? Just who are the defendants and what are the charges? Just what truths will come out today?' was what I was asking myself.

Well, soon, a few of my questions got answered once we were invited to enter the courtroom at Gringotts. 

On the wall opposite of the door through which we entered, there was a simple desk with a very important-looking goblin sitting behind it. Next to his right hand was an incredible thick roll of parchment with something akin looking of a dicta quill hovering over the unrolled part of it. This set up probably was there to write the court report.

Opposite of it were two other desks, on one, the goblin who lead Harry Potter, Remus Lupin, and Severus Snape into the entrance hall, sat down, rustling with his papers for a last quick check that he had everything needed, and on the other were two empty desks, where I supposed, the defendants and their lawyer would take place.

I was proven right once the unknown goblin stood up and told us that the defendants should take a seat on the provided chairs behind the empty desk, and that the witnesses and spectators should take a seat behind Bardook's desk with Harry Potter, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin sitting in the front row. Everyone did as they were told and took their assigned seats.

The goblin which was, apparently, presiding over the whole affair, truly shocked me with his opening speech, which was as followed:

"I welcome all of you to today's trials: Harry Potter vs. Albus Dumbledore and Molly and Ginevra Weasley. As you might know, we question everyone, be it defendant, witness, or, if their questioning is actually needed, also suitor under our truth serum, which is ten times as strong as your Wizarding version called Veritaserum. Due to its strength, there is no way around it, we will get every question asked answered truthfully. I also have to inform you that, through a one way mirror behind my desk, a jury of goblins and, as the defendants are human, humans, will watch the whole trial and, once every single defendant and witness is questioned, we will decide the verdict of every convicted person. And if, through a testimony, another person is found guilty in either helping a convict in a crime or knowing it and not doing anything against it, said person will also be questioned as a defendant, just so you are forewarned, as it happens on a regular basis.

Now, enough talking from me, we have trials to hold. I ask Miss Ginevra Weasley to take her seat on the empty desk, together with her attorney, if she has one. Lawyer Bardook will do the questioning after she is administered the truth serum by potions master Bloodfang."

Ginevra Weasley stood up, walked to the front, head held high, and took a seat on the desk. Once she was seated and she had confirmed about not having an attorney, she was administrated the goblin truth serum.

And those three questionings brought forth a truth you, my dear readers, couldn't even dream of. What was revealed, was an absolute nightmare, you have to believe me on this! I now even understand what Fred and George Weasley were talking about, when they mentioned about deciding for a side.

Ginny Weasley - planned line theft

Under the goblin's truth serum, Miss Weasley not only told us about her plans of seducing our hero with the help of Amortentia, which she brewed with the help of her mother, but that the actual plan was to get Harry Potter to marry her, get her pregnant, and then, after she bore his heir, she planned to kill him, in order to get his money. In those plans, not only her mother involved, but also the youngest of her six older brothers, Ronald, his girlfriend, Miss Granger, and, shockingly, Albus Dumbledore! In short, Harry Potter's two best friends, as well as the Leader of the Light side, were planning the Boy-Who-Lived's murder! And for what, you might ask? For nothing else than money! We really have to ask ourselves, how real the bonds of friendship between the members of the 'Golden Trio's were...

But that wasn't all! As you might know, convicted murderer, Azkaban escapee, former top Auror and Harry Potter's godfather, Sirius Black, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, fell through the veil at the Department of Mysteries back in June, in the same battle You-Know-Who made his first appearance after 15 years at the Ministry. The benefactors of the late Lord Black's will were Remus Lupin, Auror Nymphadora Tonks, daughter of Andromeda Tonks née Black (Sirius Black's cousin), the Weasley twins and, as main benefactor and heir of the title of Lord Black, Harry Potter himself. Now, the second crime of Miss Weasley was, that, after Albus Dumbledore stopped Mr. Potter of even knowing of the existence of said will, she, together with said older wizard, forged a letter to look like it was sent by Harry Potter to Gringotts claiming that he wanted to divide everything he inherited from his late godfather between Ms. Ginevra Weasley, his betrothed, and Mr. Albus Dumbledore, his surrogate grandfather.

After the testimony of the 15-year-old, Ms. Hermione Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley were informed, that their status as witnesses would be changed to those of defendants. 

The testimony of Mrs. Molly Weasley didn't give us any more information, other than that she, like her daughter, received money from Albus Dumbledore, where it was taken out of Mr. Potter 's vaults, from around 1990, but that she had no idea about the letter concerning the Black estate.

Albus-shocking-Dumbledore

The testimony of Albus Dumbledore, on the other hand, was shockingly informing. Not only did he admit to stealing Mr. Potter's money, starting from November 2, 1981, no. His crimes against our hero started in the night of the 31st of October, right after the murders of James and Lily Potter. 

Albus Dumbledore had Rubeus Hagrid, back then the Keeper of the Keys of Hogwarts bring young Harry to Privet Drive 4, Little Whining in Surrey. To do that, Rubeus Hagrid took the baby out of his godfather's arms in the ruins at Godric's Hollow, took the young man's flying motorbike and flew, with the baby cradled in one arm, across the country to where the headmaster of Hogwarts was waiting for him, together with Transfiguration professor and Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. The three of them then left the little boy on the door step of his late mother's sister and her family, a husband and a son, in a basket with a letter explaining the circumstances, his only protection against the cold November night air being his baby blanket. After they left him there, the three grown-ups went to join the celebrations all aver the island.

During the following ten years, Albus Dumbledore didn't once go and check on the Boy-Who-Lived. The only thing he did, was, that a Squib member of his Order, one Arabella Figg, moved into a house in the neighbourhood of young Harry Potter. A Squib, who, even though she was our hero's babysitter, never even once did anything against the neglect and abuse. On the other hand, she informed the headmaster every time a children's social service worker went to the Dursleys, who then came and Obliviated the poor worker of everything they knew about the abuse.

The one thing Albus Dumbledore did, though, was using the money from the Potter vaults, after he sealed the late Lily and James Potter's will, and did nothing against the late Lord Sirius Black being thrown into prison without trial. The money was used to bribe several people; among them were Molly, Ronald, and Ginevra Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Arabella Figg. Other people being bribed were several members of the Wizengamot to pass several laws to restrict the right of wizards and witches giving inheritance to a creature, i.e. Veela, and wizards and witches that had been infected by creatures, i.e. werewolves, or to pass laws restricting the rights of Muggle-born and half-blood wizards and witches. 

There were several other bribes, one of the worst being to one Barty Crouch Sr., to send several pureblood lords and ladies to Azkaban without a trial, the best known of those being Lord Sirius Black, Lord Rodolphus Lestrange, along with his wife, Lady Bellatrix Lestrange, née Black, and his brother, Rabastan Lestrange. People like Lord Lucius Malfoy only escaped their fate because they heard about it soon enough and were able to pay Barty Crouch Sr. more than Albus Dumbledore did...

Once Harry Potter was due to enter his first year at Hogwarts, he got his first letter sent to: "Mr. Harry Potter, the Cupboard under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whining, Surrey", and no one found the address on this acceptance letter strange! Then, while every Muggle-born and -raised get a visit by a teacher, but Harry Potter got the nth letter sent to him handed to himself by Rubeus Hagrid, the grounds keeper, who then took him to Diagon Alley for his supply shopping. Once the two entered the Leakey Cauldron, Mr. Potter got mobbed by the patrons, who were more than happy to finally meet him, whereas the now eleven year old had no idea why all of those strangers wanted to shake his hand and thank him...! 

After they, finally, entered the bank, Rubeus Hagrid had Harry Potter's key to his trust vault. There was never even once any mention of the existence of any other vaults. And every attempted of the goblins to get to talk to the young boy was made impossible by the grounds keeper. And no letter from the goblins reached Mr. Potter until this summer, as this one was protected against anything they could think of, even a mail ward. 

During the first year at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore hid the Philosopher's Stone in the school and knowingly let a possessed professor teach our children. His reasoning was that he had to test Harry Potter's power and abilities and he was also trying to get You-Know-Who to fall into the trap. To do this, he brought a Cerberus into the school, endangering all of the students and professors. Also, he used several compulsion charms and potions to coerce Mr. Nicolas and Mrs. Penerelle Flamel to leave the stone to him for safekeeping, which, with its destruction led to the death of the couple, meaning that Albus Dumbledore was indirectly responsible for their passing. 

1992/1993, on All Hallow's Eve, the cat of Mr. Argus Filch was petrified by an unknown cause. Accompanied was the, on the wand hanging, cat by a threat that the mystical 'Chamber of Secrets' has been reopened. And what did the esteemed headmaster do? Did he inform the parents of the happenings at school? No. Did he close the school to look for the so-called monster of Salazar Slytherin? No. Did he use his possibility of having the portraits report to him about what is happening to the school? Yes. Did he use that certain gained knowledge? No. After he was asked why, he answered, that it was another test for the Boy-Who-Lived. And for this 'test', he risked, once more, the lives of every student in Hogwarts, didn't inform their parents, and let an 11-year-old girl be possessed by a memory stored in a diary, and a 12-year-old boy had to fight a 60-feet long basilisk. Did he get medical treatment after he brought everyone back from the chamber? No. He was being questioned about what had happened down there. And after those traumatic experiences, he was once again sent back to the Dursley family, even though he repeatedly asked Albus Dumbledore to not go back there, without being offered even the slightest treatment of a mind Healer. 

The school year after Lord Black escaped from Azkaban, Albus Dumbledore hired a werewolf as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, though, according to Mr. Potter, he was their best teacher of the subject and by now, his surrogate godfather. A student, Miss Granger, was allowed a Time-Turner, so she was able to go to every subject available for third year students, including electives. And at the end of the year, the three students, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, found Lord Black in his hideout, confronted him. Professor Lupin followed them, as well as Professor Snape. On this night, in his hurry to follow his students, Professor Lupin forgot to take his Wolfsbane Potion and transformed. To protect his godson and his friends, Lord Black transformed into his illegal Animagus form of a Grim and went against the werewolf. Hurt, he ended up at the black lake, where he transformed back and was found by his godson and Miss Granger, where all three of them were attacked by a hundred Dementors. Once they were found and saved from those Dark creatures, the students ended up in the school's hospital wing and the escaped convict was kept prisoner in the office of a teacher, waiting for officials to bring him back to Azkaban.

Lying on their beds, two out of the trio, as Mr. Weasley was injured, were told by Albus Dumbledore, that they could save Lord Black by using Miss Granger's Time-Turner. Also, they went back and had to watch their teacher once more transform and attack the boy's newly found innocent godfather, as well as a swarm of Dementors descending down onto themselves and the innocent man. In the end, it was Mr. Potter's very own corporeal Patronus that saved them all from a terrible fate. Afterwards, the two students rescued the late Lord from the office by flying there outside with a hippogriff.

Albus Dumbledore's misdeeds during the Triwizard Tournament were that he apparently wasn't able to realize, that his so-called best friend, ex-Auror Alastor Mad-Eye Moody, was being impersonated by Barty Crouch Jr., whom we all thought dead. And, as headmaster of Hogwarts and, though illegally and unofficially self-appointed, Mr. Harry Potter's guardian, he could have stopped him from having to participate, as there was a 24-hour slot, during which such cases can be rectified.

Last but not least was during the previous year, Albus Dumbledore kept Lord Sirius Black prisoner in his very own house under the pretense that he had to stay there to be safe. There, he was also, among others, in regular contact with two ministry Aurors, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, though Miss Tonks was his cousin Andromeda Tonks, née Black's daughter. 

Just to remember you, my dear readers, all, Albus Dumbledore would have had to do to 'keep' Lord Sirius Black 'safe', would have been to ask for a trial for him under Veritaserum, which would have been a piece of cake for the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot to do; being in the same house for a year led to Lord Sirius Black rushing into the Ministry of Magic without thinking once he had heard that his godson was there fighting Death Eatesr, which lead to his fall through the Veil of Death by a Stunning Spell sent to him by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, née Black. 

And after this traumatizing experience, Mr. Potter wasn't sent to the hospital wing, no, he had to stay in the headmaster's office, where he was told of a prophecy concerning him and You-Know-Who, and, once the summer started, once more sent back to his Muggle relatives, without the possibility of consulting a mind Healer, who could help him.

And there, he got the letter from Gringotts...

The verdicts of everyone:

Miss Ginevra Weasley: 15 years in juvenile and getting her magic bound forever, as well as getting all memories connected to the Wizarding world erased and replaced with Muggle world ones.

Mrs. Molly Weasley: 5 years in Muggle prison and getting her magic bound forever, as well as getting all memories connected to the Wizarding world erased and replaced with Muggle world ones.

Mr. Albus Dumbledore: being stripped of all of his titles as well as spending 25 years in a black cell in Azkaban with his magic bound forever and, after those 25 years, he will get the Dementor's Kiss.

Mr. Ronald Weasley: 5 years in juvenile and getting his magic bound forever, as well as getting all memories connected to the Wizarding world erased and replaced with Muggle world ones.

Miss Hermione Granger: 5 years in juvenile and getting her magic bound forever, as well as getting all memories connected to the Wizarding world erased and replaced with Muggle world ones.

Mrs. Arabella Figg: 10 years in Muggle prison and getting all memories connected to the Wizarding world erased and replaced with Muggle world ones.

Harry James Potter today

Today, Harry Potter lives with his newly discovered godfather Severus Snape, as well as with his surrogate godfather Remus Lupin. He is the lord of multiple families. And he will celebrate his 16th birthday in a few days.

When I asked him, what was planned for his sweet 16, he answered that he wasn't sure yet, as the plans weren't finished. But he will celebrate with a few friends, that much is sure. And when I then asked him, if he had someone special in his life, he answered, that, no, he hadn't met the right person yet.

Well, my dear readers, stay tuned for more information as how our hero's life will go on now that Albus Dumbledore isn't around anymore. Who knows, maybe he will even fall in love this summer?

By Rita Skeeter

For information on goblin trials, see page 4

For more details about the testimonies, see page 5 to 9

For a more detailed school life of Harry Potter, see page 10 to 14

For Albus Dumbledore's wrong treatment of other students while being a teacher/headmaster, see page 15 to 25"

For once, the four men at Spinner's End were quite happy with the Daily Prophet.


	19. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: hey guys~
> 
> This chapter is not yet betaed, but I posted it so that you all have something new to read. It eill be replaced by a betaed one as soon as I have it...
> 
> And now, enjoy~

CHAPTER 18

Two days after the trials found Harry and Severus making their way through Slytherin Manor to the Dark Lord's study. They were on their way to theeir meeting, to talk about where each of them stood and how to meet all sides in a nice compromise, so the war could be stopped without any more unnecessary deaths of magical people.

When they arrived in front of the closed door that seperated the three people, Severus knocked.

Once they got allowed entry, they opened the door and stepped inside.

What expected them inside was completely different than Harry expected the office of a Dark Lord to look. The roon was furnished in light colours like cream and a light silver, as well as light coloured wooden furniture.

Behind the desk sat a man, whose face still had the similarity with a snake, but without the mean glance in his blood red eyes.

"Welcome, Mr. Potter, Severus. Please, take a seat so we can start with our meeting.", he gestured with his hand to two cream leather armchairs in front of his desk.

Godfather and godson sat down in an armchair each.

"Thank you for having us here. Just a question before we start, what am I going to call you?", Harry asked.

Their host waspositively surprised about the question, because, honestly, he expected the boy to call him by his neclecting muggle father's name like he always did up until now. "You can call me Marvolo, for now. Because I don't want someone as powerful and influential as yourself to submit to myself by caloing me 'My Lord'."

"Thank you, then, Marvolo it is. And if we are on first name basis, please call me Harry."

"Alright. Harry, is there anything you would like to ask me right now, or shall I start?"

"Yes, I have a question. What exactly were the reasons for you to startthis war?"

"That is not a bad question to start our meeting with. Well, for one, I want to save the wizarding world, I want to restore iur traditions, that we followed for millennia, I want magical children raised in the wizarding way, I want orphanages for magical children, I want a primary school for the magical children, so that all will be on the same level once they enter Hogwarts and no longer depending on the money their parents possess, I want magic to be 'just magic', once more, like it used to be up until a few centuries ago. And, I want complete seperation of the wizarding world from the muggle one."

"And, if I may ask, why are you let your followers do all those raids, and what about all the killings of muggleborns? And how are you planning complete seperation, if there are so many muggleborns coming to Hogwarts every year?"

"Of course you may ask. That is why you are here today, after all. I'll ask one question after the other. The raids started in the first war and were planned on places, where extended family of muggleborns had nothing better to do than to tell everyone they met that a member oftheir family is magical and were, therefore, risk exposing us. This would, sooner or later, lead to another witchhunt, only this time around they wouldn't burn those they capture, but they'd usetheir bombs and stuff. And whereas there are spells and potions that make someone immune to fire for 12 or 24 hours, there isn't anything to protect ourselves from guns or bombs. Therefore, if you compare it, it is not as bad to kill a few muggles than risk the extinction of the entire magical world as we kbow it, doesn't it? As for the killings of the muggleborns, the ones killed were normally only those, that got their acceptance letter, went trough seven years of magical schooling and, after graduation, went back to the muggle world, where they lived their lifes as muggles, only once more coming into contact with our world if they, by any chance, had a child that was magical and, therefore, went to Hogwarts.

As for, how I plan to get complete seperation with all those muggleborns entering our world every year, that is quite simple. All those muggleborns, already going to Hogwarts will be asked, if they want to live their life after Hogwarts in the magical world, or if they want their magic bound, their memories of everything magic erased, and living the rest of their lives as muggles. If they decide to stay, their entire family will be obliviated of their entire existence, and they will have to take lessons in wizarding ettiquette, politics and everything else they'll need to know to integrate into our world completely. The other muggleborn children will be taken from their families, the families obliviated of their children's existence and the children of their families', and taken care of in the magical orphanages until they get blood adopted by at least one magical adult, who then will be watched by a department, that then will come into existance, which is similar to Child Service in the muggle world. And magical babies will be taken as soon as their name shows in the 'Book of Names' after their firstsign of accidential magic. And in 15 to 25 years afterthe start of this project, there will be new blood added into the lines of the old families, be it through blood adoption or marriage, andwith there being no longer any discrimination against certain parts of magic, there will be freedom for everyone once more, be it wizard, werewolf or vampire, and only those, that comitt a crime, will, after a fair trial under a truthspell and -serum, be convicted and swnt to prison.

Does this make any sense to you?"

Harry sat there, thinking it all over. He had to agree with Marvolo on the part about what would happen should the wrong people be told about the existence of their world. "But why kill all those muggles, and not just obliviate them? Doesn't this risk exposure as well? And why do you want to take the children fro their families? Why not justletthem swear an oath so that they cannot tell anyone about our world or risk immediate death? Would that not take care of the problem as well?"

"Yes, that would also be possible, but for one, the muggle killing will make a statement to everyone in our world, much better than a mass-obliviation, and about the taking of the muggleborn children from their families: how many muggleborn students do you know, whose families are completely accepting and supportive of their child being magical? Name me two of your year."

Harry thought about it and tried to find an example. The first one in his mind was Granger, but if he really thought about it closely, she would not be one ofthem, as she spent most of her summers at the Weasley's and all the other holidays at Hogwarts. The only other muggleborn student he knew on a more personal level than just some greetings, Dean Thomas, never once talked abouthis family. The only thing muggle he'd mentioned in all their school years was football.

"You are right, if I really think about it, I cannot name you one muggleborn student, who talks as much and in the same way og their family as the pureblood students do. In fact, the two muggleborns I know on a more personal level than just greetings, are Hermione Granger and Dean Thomas. Granger spends moat of her summers at the Weasley's or, if not, is travelling with her parents and more studying the country she's staying at than actually spending some quality time with her parents, and she stays all the other holidays at Hogwarts. Dean, on the other hand, never ever talked about his family or anything muggle excepthis beloved football. And my mother might have been acdepted b her parents, but definitely not her sister, as I had to learn the hard way.

But, how do you plan to getthe purebloods to blood adopt muggleborn children?"

"That is easy. There will be a law, that every pureblood has to have at least three children, and and at least one of them has to be blood adopted. Though they won't be required to let their adopted child to take over the place of the heir, unlessthey choose otherwise."


End file.
